The Legend of Joshua Grimm: Part 1, The Legion
by Terminal lance
Summary: Joshua Grimm, Hero of the war between the NCR and Caesar's legion, a veteran Ranger and now a broken man, as the Mojave is once again threatened. The legion is once again risen from its ashes of its near destruction...full summary inside. Read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Joshua Grimm, Hero of the war between the NCR and Caesar's legion, a veteran Ranger and now a broken man, as the Mojave is once again threatened. The legion is once again risen from its ashes of its near destruction nearly fourteen years ago to become more of a threat. Now Joshua Grimm is faced with the legion again and the man he thought dead has mysteriously returned brining a new legion with him, one of better men and better technology. He must use the backing of the mysterious ruler of the New Vegas Strip, Jason Jaggers, the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel to hunt down his old nemesis and reap his revenge on the legion but the legion and its leader are only the beginning of a threat to the entire wasteland from the shores of California, to the capitolwastes, to the Erie straights and the Orleans Buoys a darker enemy emerges…

The rain drove against the sides of the shack sounding like a hail of bullets, the thunder roared in the distance and lighting flashed across the sky. The dessert storm raged across the sky as the platoon of Caesars's legion stood outside the shack, their leader, Vulpus Caesar was dragging a tied up man out of the front door of the small domicile, and he threw him in a mud puddle. The man looked up, his short military cut hair dripping wet from the rain water, his naked torso was covered in mud but the NCR ranger emblem was still visible over heart. His rope bonds around his wrist compressed and the muddy water ran down his hands. He coughed up the water from his mouth and pulled his hips up closer to him. He got up on his knees and looked up at the leader of the raiders.

"You killed my father and destroyed my armies you son of bitch!" Vulpus said, his long blonde hair waved in the wind from the storm "now I will make you pay"

Two Caesar's legion troops where dragging a red-haired women between them as they came out from the shack, an infant was carried by one of the solders. The women had bright green eyes; her nightdress was becoming soaked from the cold rain. The baby was crying out, its sleep interrupted.

"Maria! Sarah!" The Ranger yelled out to his wife, Vulpus wheeled around and smashed an armored fist across his face. The Rangers face split open as a huge gash opened up from his temple to the left cheek, part of the armor on the metal gauntlet had sliced his eye open. The man screamed in pain, as he fell back into the mud. He once again rolled over and managed to get back to a kneeling position. His face was now beginning to bruise, the large gash seeped blood while the now wrecked eye leaked fluid. His face was now covered in mud and blood.

"Josh!" the women cried as she lunged against her captures to reach the man who she loved. Tears ran down her eyes, she finally broke from the hands of the legionnaires and landed in front of Josh.

"Im so sorry my love" Josh said to his wife.

"It's not your fault" she said. This caused Vulpus to laughs he grabbed Maria and threw her back to the legion troops.

"Pretty women you have yourself their filth, such a shame" Vulpus said as he motioned to some of the troops "At least shell look good up on her cross"

"No!" Josh screamed as the legionnaires brought over the giant wooden cross and placed it at the ground near her. The troops laid her out on the cross, she screamed incoherent curses at them but cried out in pain as her hands and feet where nailed into place. Josh screamed as she was lifted up and the cross was placed into the ground.

Vulpus motioned for the trooper holding the baby to come over. The leader of the legion took the small child and looked down at her. The little infant looked up at him with bright green eyes and brown hair.

"She has her mother's eyes" Vulpus handed the baby back to the trooper "she will make a fine centurion"

"Im going to fucking kill Vulpus!" Josh screamed at the legion leader. Vulpus got down close to Josh's face and grabbed his chin and made the ranger look up at him.

"You are in no position to make threats, Joshua Grimm" Sneered Vulpus. Josh lunged foreword at Vulpus and smashed his skull into the legion leaders face, breaking his nose. As Vulpus went flying back, rifle shots rang out and the legion trooper's heads exploded. Those that remained immediately returned fire against someone Josh couldn't see. The gunfire roared from the legionnaires SMG's and rifles. The noise of service rifles and two bolt actions added their music to the symphony of death that was the noise of the firefight. As the bullets flew past, Josh looked up to see Vulpus about to plunge a knife into Maria's gut

"No!" Josh yelled as he snapped awake, cold sweat dripping from him, he placed his head in his hand. He stepped out of the bed and placed his feet on the cold wooden floor of his room at the Atomic Wrangler and walked into the small connected bathroom and turned on the light. The sickly yellow light that emanated from the two-hundred and fifty year old glass cast shadows on the rangers face. The large, deep scar that crossed his face from his left temple, across his missing left eye and to his right cheek made his reflection look angry, the eye patch made him look like a hardened man and the dog tags around his neck told him what he was before he went off the deep end. He splashed cold water onto his face, and looked at his reflection again, his thick brown hair and rough beard made him give a half smile. _That's not regulation_ he thought looking at his hair and beard. Scars crisscrossed his chest but the NCR Ranger logo was emblazoned on his chest in his flesh. A soft touch on the shoulder made him turn to see blonde haired women wrapped in a sheet looking up at him lovingly. She had bright sky blue eyes, a curvy body and came up to his chest.

"Are you okay Josh?" She asked touching his face with her soft palm, he closed his eyes at the touch "What battle was it?"

"All of them" Josh said. He opened his eyes and looked at the women who he had found solace in.

"I love those eyes" Josh said as h gazed into Jess's bright blue eyes.

"And I love your eye" She said in a joking why trying to make the atmosphere lighter.

"And that sense of humor" Josh said.

"What was it about?" Jess inquired the former ranger.

"My wife" Josh said and looked down at the floor his eyes downcast.

"I take it wasn't a happy one" Jess said. Josh walked from the small bathroom and sat on the bed. She sat next to him and brought his head to her lap.

"If you don't want to tell me, if you don't want" Jess said as she looked down at the thirty six year old hardened ranger who was now silently crying in her lap. "You don't need to bear your burdens alone"

"Its not a burden I can share" Josh straightened up and laid back down bringing her down next to him and pulled her in close.

Jess may be an "escort" at the Wrangler but she found safety in Josh's arms and he found peace in hers. To say they were in love may be accurate but nether would say it since the lost many people that they loved. The two quickly fell back asleep peacefully asleep in their sanctuary from the horrors of their past and the wasteland just out the door of their room.

Jason Jaggers Stood near the large window of the lucky thirty eight casinos and looked out across the strip and the wasteland. He took a draw on the large cigar in his hand and tapped the ashes off into the ashtray built into the arm of the chair he was sitting in. his icy blue eyes where cold and calculating as he sat deep in thought. A securitron robot rolled up and the self made ruler of the strip looked at it. The screen in the center went to a video feed from one of the agent's pip-boys. The face of a young black man was seen on the screen. He wore combat armor that was black in color and had night vision goggles over his eyes, from the back ground Jason could see he was in a small cave.

"Jason this is agent Johnson" The man said "I have some bad news, the legion is returning. I don't know how or where they got the tech they have now but this is huge. From what I have gathered they made a nation. Their available tech rivals the brotherhood"

"This is trouble sum, but who leads them?" Jason asked the agent.

"Vul…" Johnson started to say before his head was suddenly blown out of the screen, the camera moved on his wrist and look up at a dark sky.

"Well this is not good" Jason said and the video cut off "Yes-Man get me Camp McCarran on the radio now, we got a major problem"

The ruler stood from his chair and got closer to the window and looked out at the horizon, his mind raced as he thought of what he had just learned.

Josh woke the next morning; he looked up to see Jess getting dressed. He smiled a rare thing for him to do. She looked at him and placed her hands on her curvy hips. She smiled down at him, a twinkle in her sky blue eyes.

"Get up Josh, its nine in the morning" Jess said pulling a shirt over her head "You need to go find a job today"

'Why? I got caps to spare from my ranger days, and those from the mercenary work im fine' Josh said as he shrugged "and I keep busy fixing weapons at Jacks shop"

"You need a real job, besides killing for money is wrong and you could start your own business" Jess said. Josh groaned as he flopped back down on the bed.

"This again Jess?" He said.

"Yes, you are already scared from all the lives you have taken you don't need to add to it more, besides we could open a restaurant together" She said. She grabbed the door handle and yanked it open "Now get up trooper" Josh moaned as he got out form the sheets and placed his feet onto the floor. He pulled on his pants and grabbed the white shirt from the ground and pulled it on. He pulled on his large, black combat boots and put his black avatar glasses on. He strapped the holster for his revolver on to his belt and placed the massive hunting revolver in its holster. This particular weapon was an unscoped hunting revolver and an extra long barrel. He walked out of the room and down the stairs till he came to the bar at the front of the atomic wrangler and sat on one of the stools.

"What will it be Reaper?" Stephan Garret asked him.

"A Gecko egg omelet and some water" Josh said answering to the nickname that the wasteland and other mercenaries had unofficially bestowed on him.

"Comin right up" Stephan said and walked back into the kitchen. The other Garret child, Jack sat down next to him.

"Morning Reaper"

"Jack"

"There where some men looking for you here last night" Jack said as he took of his brown cowboy hat off and placed it on to the counter.

"Good or bad?" Reaper asked the young man.

"They didn't have a job so I told him what you told me to tell them. They were defiantly looking for you in a bad way"

"What did they look like?" Josh asked.

"There where three, one was tall, thin, brown hair wore black combat armor and has a bandana on his head. The second was shorter but definitely was part of the great khans had that look and the last one was a medium sized man, metal armor. They had revolvers and assault carbines. I would say bounty hunters"

"Well, ill look into it then"

"Figured you would say that but you know that if you kill them it means we got to breakout the shovel again or throw them in a dumpster and burn them" Jack grabbed his hat and placed a leather gloved hand on Josh's shoulder.

"Ill see you at the shop later, be careful out there bud" Jack said walking out the front door. A plate was placed into Josh's vision, on it were his omelets.

"Thanks" the ranger said placing the caps on the counter and dug into his breakfast.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who read, favorited and alerted my story. **

Josh Grimm steeped out from the door of the Atomic wrangler, he put the brown ranger hat on his head, tossed his old brown leather jacket on and started down the street towards Jacks Gunshop, his place of work for when he wasn't do a mercenary contract. The Van Graff thugs across the street glared at him as he started off down the street. He walked through looking around at Freeside; it had changed over the last fifty years considerably. The relief effort made by the NCR and the kings had resulted in the city turning from a poverty stricken ghetto to a somewhat function community in a poverty stricken ghetto. More shops opened up, along with a few new bars, restaurants and hotels. Signs from Michel Angelo's shop now not only made the strip a light show at night but Freeside as well.

Josh came to corner of the street that was the top of upper Freeside, the gate made of an old bus separated the two halves. Upper Freeside was where most of the richer people lived, along with the Kings headquarters, the Atomic Wrangler, Silver Rush, Sam Adams Apartments and the now crown jewel of the King's gang, a theater made out of there old headquarters. The now "Kings Theater" served as a late night drinking hall, theater and hotel. It was as classy as Freeside got drunken fights and loud music until seven in the morning was common. Josh looked at the building; _last time I was there I got dragged away by some kings for beating up some stupid punk. Still got that knife he had, nice to_ he thought scuffing at the memory.

"Hey Reaper" said a feminine voice behind him, he turned to see a small blonde sixteen year old in a very reveling outfit.

"Morning Cat, they really got you advertising for the wrangler this early?" Josh said crossing his arms and shifting his weight but regretted it as his knee gave him a shot of pain. He winced at it and shrugged it off but Cat says it and looked concern.

"What was that, Reaper" She asked him.

"Just and old wound acting up again" Josh responded shrugging "it's nothing fatal"

"Damn and I got excited for a second" Cat said sarcastically. Cat and Josh got along well despite the age difference.

"You know you are smart enough to go work for the Followers or even for Jaggers" Reaper said. Cat sighed at his comment and looked downcast.

"I can't, I have to look after my brothers" She said "but hey you wouldn't get to see me then"

"True" Josh said reaching into his pockets he pulled out a sum of caps and held them out to her "here buy them dinner, on me"

"Look you are really nice but I don't accept charity" Cat said, as she crossed her arms a slight look of being insulted on her face.

"Its not charity, it's a gift" Josh said. Cat sighed and took the small bag; she looked down the whole time.

"You know what I don't get Reaper" Cat said looking up at him "how can some one as kind as you be a mercenary, let alone be known as the Reaper"

Josh's brow furrowed, he often thought it was from his last name but there was more to it then that, and he grew up like some of these people did, poor and hopeless. He knew their pain and knew the struggle.

"I know what it is like, the struggle and as for helping out" Josh said as he uncrossed his arms "I was a solider once, never lost that sense of duty to the people" Josh then walked off and through the gate; he left behind a puzzled young girl. Cat shrugged and then went back to work.

"The wranglers just down the street, your almost there already!" She shouted.

Jack looked up over the news paper he had been reading to see his friend and co-worker walk through the door of his shop. The shop was in an old butcher shop but only a few got the irony in that, it had boarded-up windows and the rusty old metal door creaked on the hinges. The old walls where cracked and the brick shown through the cracks like a cut seeping blood.

Josh put his hat on a hook, along with his jacket and went behind the counter and sat down in the chair opposite Jack, who had gone back to his paper. The news paper came to the Mojave slowly after the second battle of Hoover damn, it took off eventually. There were three big papers in the Mojave wasteland, The NCR Post, a nation wide paper, The Hub Times, a mostly political paper that dealt with the issues, senators from the NCR's sixteen states and lastly the Freeside Freshnews, the local paper for the Mojave. When the NCR annexed the area they brought the manufacturing know how and industrial knowledge with them. Despite being almost three century's old, a few enterprising people have factories running again. The NCR now could make steel, paper, and other goods. Some people even found ways to use old tech to make new tech, such as old phones, terminals, and pip boys.

"Why do you read that crap?" Josh asked him "you know it's week old news by the time it makes headlines" Jack folded the paper and looked at him, he shook his head.

"It may be crap but I read it to know what's happening" Jack said grabbing a coffee mug and taking a sip.

"All it is bad news, you know that?" Josh said, propping his feet up on the counter.

"Yes and always expect to hear the worst news possible" Jack said standing as he heard the door open "that way, I may be pleasantly surprised" Josh looked puzzled at the statement for a second before standing up and following Jack to the front. A few local hunters stood on the other side of the counter. The leather clad wasters shook some dust of the shoulder guards, one put down the hood he wore and the others took of their glasses. Their faces had grim on them, a one had a nasty scar on his neck and the dust on the leather armor and weapons they had just completed the picture, pure breed wasters.

"Well, what it be boys?" Jack said as he leaned against the counter. One grabbed his scoped hunting rifle and placed it down on the cracked up marble surface.

"The scopes not zeroed, but I never touched it since I sighted it so I think the mounts are off" the one said as his comrades began to browse the selection of weapons, ammo, and other dealers of death that lined the shelves and cases.

"Let me see that" Josh said as he reached for the rifle and pulled it over to him. He started to look over the weapon; the hunter leaned up on the counter. Josh looked at him, he was younger then him_, twenty eight if I had to guess maybe younger_, but a pair of dog tags caught his eye.

"What unit you serve with?" Josh asked him as he continued to look over the weapon, admiringly it really. The Wood on the rifle was not old; _this is a newly made stock_ Josh thought.

"I was with the fifth, say some of the action down in Arizona against that tribe of mutants that they found but I was only in for six years" the hunter said "in fact all of us where, still wished I had some of that new armor they came out with"

"Yeah, still hard to believe they made you a DM" said one of the others "how about you?"

"How bout it squatter? You serve?" Asked another one. Josh scowled at the slang, _squatter I hate that word,_ squatter was a term used for anyone who has poor or lived in ghettos.

"Sure did" Josh said pulling his own dog tags off his neck and held them out for the hunters to see the one whose rifle he had leaned over to look at them.

"Sir, I'm sorry for my friends insult I'm sure he didn't mean it" the man said. The one who insulted laughed at him, holding his gut.

"What was he some armory Sargent or something?" The man said, chuckling.

"I was a lieutenant with the Third Ranger's" Josh said, the man stopped laughing and looked wide eyed "now your rifles scope and mounts are fine, the barrels become un seated" Josh said ignoring the man who insulted him.

"If you want I can reseat it for you and zero the scope again if you want. Plus for a little extra ill add a short stroke bolt" Josh said.

"How much does one cost" the hunter asked him.

"Around three fifty but we take anything here so any trade items you have are fine" Josh said as he put down the rifle.

"Do you have a demo?" the man asked, his one friend walked over to him.

"Hey, Brain me and Jones are heading to trade this meat before it spoils more"

"Okay, ill meet you at the Wrangler when I finish here" Josh used a key to open the locked case that housed some of the weapons he owned. He kept everything but his 12.7mm revolver and service rifle at the shop along with the combat armor he wore for his mercenary missions. He grabbed his scoped .308 rifle from the case and set it down on the counter.

"Well, Brain this is my rifle" Josh said as he opened the bolt "go ahead and check it out, work the bolt its short stroke. Two of my good ranger friends that are still in showed me how to make this" Brain picked it up and worked the rifles actions a few times, nodded in approval as he handed the rifle back over to Josh.

"Ill take it, how much for the ammo to zero it?" Brain asked him.

"No charge for the ammo, four hundred caps or that value for the bolt and barrel seat" Josh said as he pulled a box from under the counter.

"Thanks, I appreciate it" Brain said. Josh nodded and head to the back room with the work bench.

"It will be about an hour" Jack said who during the course of the events had gone back to his coffee and paper.

Josh and Jack walked from the stores door down the street to the bar at the corner to get some dinner. They walked through the doors into the shady old bar known as "The Congress" and sat down at the bar. The tender walked over to the two. He was cleaning a glass with a rag that was far too dirty, but it was a wasteland despite what the people tried to do everything was dirty.

"What can I get you boys?" The man asked.

"Ill take some water and a Gecko steak, through some veggies in to" Jack said.

"Same but get me a whiskey as well" Josh said.

"You never told me you where a ranger" Jack said looking at him friend "come to think of it I don't know your real name"

"You never asked, and Reaper is good enough" Josh said.

"Come on, what is so bad about me knowing your name I have known you for two years" Jack said.

"True, I guess it wouldn't hurt" Josh said "it's John Doe"

"You're a dick you know that?" Jack Garret said he looked at the bar when he heard the sound of a plate hit it.

"What's your point?" Josh said, he reached into a pocket on the chest of his jacket and pulled out a cigar and a engraved lighter, a small case fell out and landed on the table open so the picture inside was seen. He flicked open the lighter and worked the striker a little flame popped forth lighting the NCR symbol on the side and his now darkened face. His thoughts drifted to his family as the picture of him and his wife holding their new born child in her arms. He absent mindedly ran a finger down the cheek of the women in the picture, _Maria_. Jack took the picture and looked at it, a red haired women with bright green eyes smiled up at him, the baby in her arms was sleeping soundly. Next to the women was a man that Jack barley recognized as Josh looked up at him, his hair cut short in a military like fashion and his clean shaven face gleamed with happiness.

"What happened?" Jack asked as Josh slowly took the picture back. He put some caps down on the bar and grabbed the whiskey with his left hand, his right occupied with the cigar that was in his lips as he took a long draw on it, the nicotine giving some what of a buzz.

"I don't want to talk about it" Josh said after he let the smoke out of his lungs. He stood up and walked out leaving his food untouched.

"What about your dinner?" Jack asked him.

"Im not hungry" Josh said and opened the door. He stepped out into the neon light night of Freeside and disappeared from Jacks view.

Jason Jaggers currently sat on a large over stuffed couch in the pent house of the lucky thirty eight, women sat on either side of him and one on his lap. A large cigar was in his lips and a glass of scotch resided in his left hand. The sound of foot steps and a securitron wheel drew his attention but not enough to turn his head as the girl on his lap played with his hair.

"Sir, General Hsu and his escort are here to see you" said the robot.

"Thank you James" Jason said he still looked straight ahead into the darkness and light of Vegas outside his window. His eyes were not those of a man who was tired or of one who was thinking, but rather into another person's soul. The general and his two fellow officers sat down in the chairs across from him. General Hsu's in his old years resembled an old samurai in everything but his dress, the two officers he had brought Jason recognized as Carrie Boyd and Reyes. A few troopers stood behind them, they stood at parade rest.

"Girls how about you go get us some refreshments" Jason said, the girls giggled and left the room and headed for the kitchen "now to business"

"Yes, though you looked quite busy before" Hus said as he held up a hand and one trooper put a folder into it.

"You know every since heard the radio announcer call you the best of humanity, it laughed" Boyd said "what kind of man socializes with six women at one time" she said socialize in such away everyone got what she implied.

"A talented one" Jason said as he took a sip of scotch.

"You represent the place you rule all to well" Boyd said. She was right Jason Jaggers was a drinker, smoker and womanizer. He surrendered to almost every vice, gambling, sex, alcohol and tobacco, but he also helped the relief efforts through out the NCR and had been key in the second battle at the Hoover Damn. The man's brilliance was well known and he loved to prove it through gambling.

General Hsu handed the folder to Jason who took it and opened it up.

"Reports from observation posts past the Colorado, some from rangers" Reyes said "they all show that raids have gone up in uncontrolled territory, also that the fort once again flies Caesars colors and if my guess is right, we now have the third battle brewing"

"You mean any land that NCR, the Khan Empire, or New Rome doesn't control?" Jason said still reading.

"Correct" Boyd said "also New Rome has been quiet for a long time, any communication we had was cut off and all our trade cravens never came back. Plus these legion camps and the fact no raids have come from them troubles me"

"I know, and the legion we see is just the beginning. I know everything you have told me, don't forget I have my own men as well" Jason said as he took a draw on his cigar. Jason Jaggers agents or more commonly known as the SS were infamous for secrecy and ruthlessness.

"Yes, we forgot about the SS" Boyd said sarcastically.

"Now I know to things you don't, first off is that New Rome is no longer a republic and once again united under a Caesar but not like last time. The entire nation is now behind the new legion. The Second is that Vulpus is the new Caesar" General Hsu took a drink of the vodka that he had got from one of the girls but he spit it out at this news, the other NCR personal all got wide eyed.

"He is dead, Joshua Grimm killed him after he and his team went AWOL, Stole and went on a vengeance camping across the wasteland" General Hsu said whipping spit from his chin.

Vulpus Caesar was the third Caesar after the Second battle of Hoover Damn, he ignored the Mojave and instead managed to get his army through to the core region and cause havoc, but the NCR drove his armies back to the Mojave and over the river just like before. When it was over the legion that was built from New Rome like the first by Caesar and then the second thirty two years later by the legate, numbered under a hundred and its leader lay dead leaving Vulpus to take over. His bloody camping left a huge scar in the Republic, hundreds of thousands where killed and the damages was still being paid for.

"He is alive, my old friend I assure you" Jason said.

"How? He was thrown in a bonfire and stuck on a large stake that was in the fire" Boyd asked him.

"Someone got him off the stake and out of the fire before he died, the same people who saved him also put him in power" Jason said "I saw the official report filed by Mr. Grimm"

"How? That was top secret, no civilian, trooper, ranger or senator was to know that he survived thanks to some unknown group" General Hsu said.

"I have ways and you know I am more then just some civie. I read the whole thing, Vertibird, advanced power armor mark II though in knew about that before thanks to my connections in the brotherhood" Jason said. The NCR general's brow furrowed at this, he shook his head and threw his hands up.

"So now what, we build up the army for another go with the legion?" Reyes asked.

"No, we would get crushed. The legion is better armed than the last two times and has more funding from what the SS can tell is unlimited. The standard legionary is better equipped, better armored and better trained then ever before" Jaggers now had the NCRs full attention, so he took another puff on his cigar and sip of his scotch "no longer is it just idiots with a few good weapons and machetes running at you in a human wave tactic. Their tech is at the level of the brotherhood, but fortunately they don't have a legion of fully power armored troops. Those they do have pose a threat as is, considering the armor out performs the NCR and brotherhood"

"So, we cant win a war and if we go over the river we break the treaty we signed with New Rome six years ago, before Vulpus took over I am assuming" General Hsu said leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, besides the legion there is just to make sure we don't interfere with something" Jason said.

"Something?" Boyd asked her eyebrow rose.

"I don't know what besides the eastward expansion of the legion and its mother country. As Hsu said we can't just attack them, we won't win. They have too many advantages" Jason said taking another sip and puff.

"So what do we do?" Reyes asked.

"We need to know where every major camp is before hand and develop away to attack them without a long march. Second, this is still the legion and that means without leadership it crumbles" Jason said.

"Cut the head from the Snake the body dies" Boyd said.

"Yes but this not snake but a hydra as we have seen, cut off one head and more grow back" Jason said leaning foreword in his seat.

"So, we do what?" Hsu said "to me it seems they got us by the balls here"

"Yes, the NCR military's balls are in a vice grip. Even if we attacked them we would because the legions leadership to scatter again and the result is another comeback tour" Jason said "So, instead of cutting the heads off the hydra we nuke the whole damn thing. The legion in its infinite brilliance sent only low ranking officers out to lead the camps and the high ranking officers control the legion from the capitol of New Rome, and I mean all of them"

"So we nuke the capitol of New Rome and kill every one of those innocent people?" General Hsu said.

"I admire your idealism, but now is the time to drop morality to the side and deal with this once and for all" Jason said "We either destroy them entirely or we ourselves our doomed"

"I need some time to discuss this with the president, he needs to know about this" General Hsu said standing up. The other officers followed and headed for the stairs, the general already almost up them.

"Time is something we my not have, James" Jason said.

Josh walked down the street, his mind wondering around his head like a drunken man. He stopped at a street corner and leaned against a light. The whiskey burned as he sipped it down, his eyes unfocused looked around him at the broken buildings and the somewhat useable ones. Just to look at them was strange, the city said life but the buildings showed death. His eyes suddenly focused on something he say in a reflection in the window of a closed shop across the street. Ten figures approached him from behind, his ranger sense kicked in and he pocketed the whiskey and walked down the street again. He took a few turns at random and checked his back in any reflection he say as to not alert his suspected tail to his awareness. They followed his every turn without pause, _well looks like somewhat want an ass beating. What those guys…_ Josh looked at a mirrored image in an unbroken window in a very broken car; three matched the descriptions of the men jack told him about. _Well this should make life interesting_ Josh though as he ran at a door to an abandoned building and kicked in the door and ran inside. He quickly climbed on top of an old book case and crouched to fit between it and the ceiling; sure enough the men came running in. Josh took of his glasses so he could see better in the dark, his sight quickly adjusted to the dark thanks to an implant that he got from the followers in his ranger days.

"Split up we got him cornered" Said one who had on leather armor and had a shotgun in hand. The others nodded, and headed off. One walked past the bookcase, so josh jumped down behind him quietly and snapped his neck. _Nine left to go_, Josh thought as he pressed himself against the wall. He slung along it until he came to a door way and peeked into the room. He say three of his pursuers in the room, one was close to the door, another stood in the center with a flash light, scanning under a table near the wall. The third stood looking out a broken window. Josh pulled back and then knocked on the wall.

"What was that?" one said.

"I gots no clue check it out Dwight" said another. The first man, the one close to the door, walked towards the opening with his gun lowered. _Perfect_, Josh thought as he shot his arm around one side of the man's head and the other hand on his cheek, he quickly rose up and then twisted, hard and down. The sound of snapping bones and tendons reached his ears, but he didn't stop to appreciate it. He ran into the room at the second man who was busy raising his Chinese assault rifle. Josh closed the distance of only six feet in a fraction of a second as his adrenaline, combat instances and sheer will to live kicked in. he gripped the guns barrel and pulled it past him, yanking it from its master. Thankfully the gun didn't fire. Josh dropped under the arm and drew his knife and plunged it into the back of the man's head at the base of the skull, the man dropped instantly. The Reaper then claimed the last man in the room by grabbing the back of his head and slamming it foreword out the window so the neck of the poor victim was impaled by the broken glass. _Little lucky on that on_, Josh thought as looked around and then headed back to the hall. The stairs to the second level where on one side with a solid banister and a small balcony at the top. Another one of the assailants was at the top, so josh jumped up and grabbed the edge of the balconies railing. He grabbed the man and pulled him over, before the mercenary could scream his head hit the ground and bent a bad angle, snapping like a stick. _That's five_, josh thought jumping over the edge to see two more at the end of the hall backs turned as the walked down the hall. He charged them, his foot falls silent. The first got Josh's knife in the bottom of his jaw where it meets the neck at the corner and then it sliced through to the other corner of his jaw. The second man turned to get back kicked into a wall, but he quickly went to punch Josh, yelling as he did. Josh quickly grabbed the man's arm and dragged it past him, his knife went straight into the unfortunate mans gut and then up. He gargled and died as josh jumped out the window and hung out it. He quickly shimmed along a ledge to another window he saw the men he just killed through an open door. He silently hopped in and slunk up behind one just as the man he had indentified as the leader said "Where is he". Josh slit the first mans throat, and as the second went to hit him with a power fist he side stepped. The knife entered the man with the hydraulic fist under his arm in the pit puncturing his lung, the man then gurgled as fluid filled his lungs. Josh's hand shot out and grabbed the leader's throat.

"Looking for me asshole" Josh said looking the man in the eye.

"Oh shit" He said his hand on Josh's.

"Start talking, who sent you?" Josh asked tightening his grip.

"I anit telling you shit" the merc said. Josh shook his head and then banged the man's into the door frame. A solid thud accompanied it but was dulled out by the mans wind leaving his chest as Josh's knee collided with it causing the merc to drop to all fours as Josh let go of his throat. The man's head now resided between the door and the door frame, the door went flying shit as the former ranger slammed it on the guys head. The merc was dazed and blooded as Josh picked him up and reestablished his grip on the man's throat and walked him into another room, this one a bathroom.

"Answer me!" Josh yelled at the delirious man.

"I don't know"

"Bullshit!" Josh said and then smashed the man's face through a urinal's lower half, the two hundred and fifty or so year old porcelain smashed. The merc was now in the fetal position as Josh's size fourteen boot collided with rips much to the boots owners satisfaction a few cracks where sounded along with a sharp yelp of pain.

"A mid-dle man, hired us" The broken man said.

"Give me a name, now" Josh ordered.

"I cant he will kill me" Josh picked him up by the throat again and got right in his face.

"It's me you should be concerned with" He said angrily "who was it?" The merc shook his head but stopped when it smashed into a mirror,

"Ok-ay it was, Frank. Frank Fenix" the man said.

"Where can I find him?" Josh interrogated the mercenary further.

"He is a King" Josh tossed the broken mercenary to the floor, drew his revolver and pulled the trigger. The roar of the massive round was the last thing the unfortunate mercenary heard.


	3. Chapter 3

**I would really like at least one review for this. Just tell me what you think any criticism is welcome and any ideas, tips, etc as well. Thanks for your time, enjoy!**

Josh Walked from the building and down the street, his mind rampant with ideas of who would want to kill him and why, being a mercenary and a ranger he had made quite the host of enemies. His leather jacket was blooded from the fight with the men; he whipped it off quickly and loaded another shell into his revolver. The noise of footsteps head his way made him quicken his pace. He turned down an alley, a few homeless people stood up from beside their makeshift beds and grabbed sticks, knives and on had a hammer. Josh already knew that one flash of his revolver and they would back down, the tactic worked again.

His fast walking pace luckily put him away from the scene of the conflict and any of the NCR MPs and King Gang members that served as law enforcement for Freeside and the strip. The former ranger found himself back at the Wrangler, his home for the moment. He opened the wooden door and stepped in, the sounds of the band, people, and the other sounds found in a bar accompanied him into the run down casino. He looked around the room, his adrenaline rush was still going and his suspicions had been raised quite considerably due to the last twenty minuets. He saw a few men who would be threats if they weren't drunk. He sat at a table in the corner, his sight was such away he could see the entire room, and every door. He removed his hat placing it on the table, a waitress walked up to him, wasn't one he recognized considering at this time of night he was passed out upstairs or at one of the strip casinos.

"Can I get you anything babe?" The waitress asked him her hips cocked suggestively. Josh looked up at the waitress checking her out, for weapons.

"Ill take a bottle of whiskey, and a gecko steak" Josh said looking foreword at the stage watching the band play. A large figure sat down next to him, he couldn't see the person really well since it was his left and his eye on that side was missing.

"Can you add a vodka and iguana to that as well" the person who now occupied the other seat at the table that Josh was sitting at said in a heavy Russian accent. The ranger turned to see the last person he expected, an old friend.

"Nikoli Brezhnev" Josh said holding out his hand "it has been to long Moui Droog"

The Russian man smiled and took the hand of his friend. Nikoli's Russian heritage showed in him, his accent was gathered from his parents when he lived in a vault that was dedicated to Russian heritage Americans, he resembled the pre-war actor Dolph Lundgren.

"So how has everything been Josh?" Nikoli asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, for the most part. Working as a merc has been profitable" Josh said to the Russian.

"You know what I meant, Josh please I know you more like a brother than a friend" Nikoli said.

"It keeps me up at night, Nikoli. It's been fourteen years since her death and the nightmares haven't got in less frequent" Josh said. Nikoli nodded his head.

"I see, and the fact that Vulpus was saved didn't help" Nikoli said.

"No, it doesn't" Josh said his hand balling into a fist "I would give anything to kill that bastard" Josh slammed his fist into the table.

"What's wrong Josh?" A women's voice asked from his side. Josh turned to see Jess standing next to him, her work outfit on. The Daisy dukes and short cut tank top reviled a lot of skin and left little to imagination.

"Who is this Grimm?" Nikoli inquired his voice as full of charm as his Russian accent would allow. Jess looked at the man that Josh had as company at the table, her eyes looked concerned.

"Nikoli, meet Jess" Josh said. She held out her hand for a hand shake but instead Nikoli took her hand and kissed the top of it.

"Charmed Miss Jess, my name is Nikoli Brezhnev. I am at your service" the Russian said, Josh rolled his eye. _I forgot how suave Nikoli must always be with the ladies_ Josh thought as he rolled his one eye. Jess blushed a little; she had grown use to the kind treatment from Josh and the Garrett's but being a prostitute she was usually treated poorly.

"Charmed Mister Brezhnev" Jess said, she looked down at Josh her hands on her hips "Now tell me what is wrong, Josh" Josh patted his lap for the girl to sit down in, she did her worried expression on her face the whole time. _She gets so worked up about me_ Josh thought as her weight landed in his lap.

"Well, about forty minutes ago I was ambushed by ten men" Josh said to both Jess and Nikoli "They where hired by a King known as Frank Fenix"

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Jess asked her eyes wide. Nikoli started to laugh at the comment.

"What?" Jess asked the chuckling Russian.

"It would take more than ten poorly trained mercenaries to kill Joshua Grimm" Nikoli said.

"Thanks Nikoli, Me and this scumbag go way back Jess. He was part of my team of rangers back in the day" Josh said "After his vault was raided he grew up with me in the hub, we watched each others backs for a long time"

"Please don't bring up ancient history, there is a more pressing matter to attend and that is the attack" Nikoli said "I have a hunch that he was a middle man, not the man after you"

"You are correct, perceptive as always" Josh said "he has information I want though about who did hire him and through him the men who tried to kill me"

"So? Just leave it alone Josh you don't need another way to get yourself killed" Jess said poking the rangers chest.

"Look Jess, I can't let this go. What if they attack me again, or even find out about me and you and go for you?"

"I don't want you to kill anymore I told you that. You should lets this go before it does kill you" Jess said her voice raised in anger.

"We won't kill anybody Miss Jess; just go snooping around for any clues. Besides we won't go tonight. I need my rest and so does he" Nikoli said in his accent "Now we can talk about the plan in detail latter, for now lets just enjoy seeing old friends and some refreshment"

"Ok, fine but im not dropping this Jess I wont risk anything happening again" Josh said "So tell me how you have been Nikoli"

Jason Jaggers was sitting in his usual chair; his eyes looked over the screen of a terminal that displayed a message from his good friend General Hsu.

_Jason:_

_The president is coming to Vegas to discuss this with you in person; he feels that this needs his involvement. The legions return to power is most troublesome and while he doesn't like the idea of killing millions, the idea of being conquered is even less appealing. However the senators and his opponents in the government would never sanction this, they are too liberal. The president wants to see a full plan and anyone involved in it when he gets here, in person. The plan can not in any way implement the NCR or his involvement. Consider this message top secret, news of another legion would cause mass panic and the idea of using a nuclear device to destroy it would cause some people to go just as crazy. _

_General Hsu_

"Yes man, destroy any evidence that this message exists, I don't want anyone to find out about this" Jason said.

"Yes sir" the Robot said from the corner.

"And have Alfred get me some scotch and milk" Jason said. The Ruler of the strip set his hands on the terminals key board and sent a message to General Hsu through the McCarran network. He then activated a video chat program and clicked on an item labeled "Hidden valley, Elder Victoria". The sound of a phone ringing filled the room till there was a click.

"This better be good Jason, I was enjoying my sleep" Said a very disgruntled Victoria Santiago. Her face for someone who was around sixty still had the completion of some one in their forties, except for her hair which was now snow white. The effect of old age and a strange radiation mutation she picked up awhile back while leading a patrol thought the Mojave when McNamara was still Elder.

"I am in need of your assistance in a very serious matter" Jason said.

"What matter is so important that you had to wake me up at three in the morning?" Victoria said.

"The Legion is back to full strength" Jason said "thank you Alfred"

"You are welcome sir" said the robot in a programmed stereotypical English accent.

Jason took a sip of the drink, the women on the other side of the video chat stared at him. The video chat network was a creation of the Brotherhood and Jaggers for quick communication with each other but expanded to include both the SS patrols and the brotherhood. The two often worked together towards the same goals, and the result of the network was a tactical advantage over any enemy that they faced.

"I assume you need more than that, my dear" Jason said "The legion has been backed by an unknown source, one with tech the level of the Enclave when the appeared on the east coast in DC" Jason said. The Brotherhood Elders eyes grew wide and she got closer to the screen from her seat.

"You now have my undivided attention" Victoria said.

"I have a plan to deal with this more directly than I have already been" Jason said taking a drink "However a more direct action is required"

"With that tech and the if I my guess is correct, the legion has better training, then I agree" Victoria said "I don't care if the Brotherhood is known for this, and you have my full support"

"Good, some of the things we need you don't have others you can make" Jason said.

"Such as?" the elder asked.

"First, a nuclear device that can be broken down into enough parts for a small team to carry second is enough men to attack multiple bases rapidly without traveling over land. The attack must be done as soon as the weapon goes off so that means power armored solders that you have plenty of" Jason took a drink "the legion will be confused from the sudden communication block, the bases closest to the capitol that are going to be assaulted wont have any energy weapons or power armor, the EMP will insure that"

"I see what the problem is, we don't have that sort of rapid assault capabilities" Victoria said "but the east coast Brotherhood does, I can get a message to them using the satellite network that the brotherhood managed to infiltrate after we exited our vaults"

"Do it, without this part it is pointless to go foreword" Jason said "and as for the device, what can you tell me?"

"We have one that can be broken down but I don't know your definition of a small team" Victoria said.

"How many parts is it?"

"Ten, including the uranium and explosives" Victoria said to the Ruler of Vegas.

"Then ten is the number of our team, we have NCR backing on this but only through funds if we need any from what Hsu tells me"

"Great, looks like the Brotherhood gets to play hero" Victoria said "ill talk to you when I hear from the east" The screen went black and then went back to the network interface; Jason clicked on one for a SS team leader currently in Freeside.

"Yes sir?"

"Bring me Joshua Grimm"

Josh and Nikoli walked down the stairs of the wrangler, the two rangers had gone over the plan and hoped that any violence could be prevented for their own sake and Jess's worries. The Casino was packed as always as the two made for the door, the band playing covered their conversation.

"It is simple we go in search his residence and get out, hopefully we wont need to interrogate but it my come down to that" Josh said.

"Its fine by me, I don't care ether way" Nikoli said "We have our objective"

"That is true" Josh said "besides I don't mind beating a man who sent someone to kill me"

"So you and Jess…" Nikoli said in his heavy Russian accent. Josh looked at his friend and opened the door to the street.

"Ill tell you on the way" Josh said walking out the door, it shut behind him. A man however heard the conversing of the friends and fallowed them out the door shortly afterword after speaking in to a pip boy on his wrist.

The two men walked down the street at an easy pace to avoid drawing attention to them.

"Jess was what got me back on my feet after a serious nose dive" Josh said "it was late one night and I was staying at the York motel in Westside. I ended up drunk in a ditch when she found me, I was in bad shape"

"That is truly surprising that you would ended up like that Josh" Nikoli said as the two came to the intersection that had the gate between upper and lower Freeside.

"You lose your entire family and see where you end up" Josh snapped at him "anyway she nursed me back to health; she has such a kind heart. I got to knew her, I told her everything about me and eventually we started to get more involved then being just friends" Josh said.

"And the fact she sleeps with other men doesn't bug you?" Nikoli said.

"I understand it's her job no matter how vile, besides she only works two or three nights a week. It bugs me though but me killing men for money bugs her just as much"

"I doubt she only works three nights a week for you Moi Droog" Nikoli said chuckling as he opened the door to the Kings School of Impersonation. The entrance room was somewhat empty, except for a king at the counter and another on one of the benches that lined the room; it was obvious the two served as a night guard.

"Can I help you two" said the man, his eyes narrowed at the two former rangers.

"Yes we have a message from the Mojave express for one Frank Fenix" Josh said laying a holotape on the counters top.

"Ill make sure he gets it, now scram" The king said.

"You see the thing is that this needs to be delivered face to face, the sender requested it. Something about for Frank to see and hear only" Josh said.

"Frank is not in his room right now" The king said "but if you want I will take you to his room to put it in his room"

"That would be fine" Josh said.

"Hey Bryant ill be right back once these two deliver this also important message" said the king earning a grunt from the one on the bench "you two fallow me"

The three men walked through the old building, the closed doors muffled the sound of snoring. The halls where darkened from the lack of decent lighting but the stairs where well lit as the men walked up the creaking wooden structures. The three stayed quite out of respect for the sleeping men around them. They came to a door labeled 207.

"Here you are boys, now slide it under the door and get out" the gangster said facing Nikoli as Josh placed the holotape on the floor, the king watching him the whole time. Just then Nikoli snapped his fingers, the gangsters head shoot up. In a split second Josh got the man in a choke hold a knocked him out. The kings eyes bulged and he tried to yell but couldn't from the restriction of airflow through his voice box. Josh nodded to Nikoli and the Russian man went to work picking the lock of the door. He snapped one of the bobby pins and muttered some curses in Russian under his breath. He tried again and the door swung open.

"Nothing I can't unlock with force or charm" he said quietly smiling.

"Your funny, you know that" Josh said dragging the unconscious king into the room as Nikoli closed the door.

Frank Fenix opened the door to the building where his home resided and stepped through the door.

"Hey Frankie, some couriers are here with a message fors ya" Bryant said.

"Message, I wasn't expecting a message" Frank said and then walked off for his room.

"Yeah, well that happens. If you see Joey tells him to get back down here" Bryant said. Frank Fenix was suddenly suspicious of what was going on, _I worked to hard to get here for Caesar I am not going to fall now_ he thought expecting the worst, _if they find any of the holotape my cover is blown!_

"Josh, found something" Nikoli said pulling something from a desk drawer, It was a holotape. Josh looked at it, something on it drew his attention but he couldn't make out what it was. The sound of a door handle creaking drew the two ranger's attention as their focus suddenly shifted from the holotape to the door as it swung open to revile a man wearing black pants and jacket with a white shirt. His hair done up in the usual king fashion, he drew w revolver and aimed it at Nikoli.

"What are you doing, you fucks?" Frank Fenix asked.

"Frank put the gun down" Nikoli said in his Russian accent. Frank glanced around and saw the unconscious Joey. His eyes grew wide and the rangers dove as Frank fired of a shoot from the weapon. Josh drew his own weapon, not his usual revolver but a silenced ten-mil. He cranked out two rounds in rapid succession, Franks chest erupted in blood as the slugs smashed into him at only ten feet away.

"Out the window Josh!" Nikoli said as he ran at the glass pane. He dived out it quickly followed by Josh who still had the Holotape in his hand. The two landed rolling to absorb the impact only to be tackled by some unknown people.

"You are coming with us you two" said a voice right before black blindfolds went over the ranger's eyes and cuffs around their wrists.

Jason sat looking out of the large window in front of him; he stared at the horizon like a hawk. He half expected at any moment the legion to come pouring over it. The sound of the elevator drew his attention, and then sound of footsteps approached him. His vision shifted to the four members of his Secret Service or SS as they were referred to by most of the citizens of the wasteland. The SS member wore their standard armor, a reinforced version of the Chinese stealth suit. The men forced the two captives in their awaiting chairs and removed their blind folds. Josh and Nikoli blinked a few times and then looked at the man who had ordered them brought before him. Jason Jaggers ice blue, almost robotic eyes gazed at them, almost as if he could see into their souls. Josh shifted uncomfortably.

"Please show some hospitality and remove the handcuffs" Jason said. The Armored men did as instructed and then stood back at attention behind the two rangers.

"Leave us, be you have other assignments to carry out" Jason said. The four men nodded, the suits stealth field activated and the four seemed to disappear from sight. The sound of the elevator a few minutes later confirmed that they had indeed left.

"Alfred get our guests some refreshments and bring a holotape reader" Jason said "you are obviously wondering why you have been brought here"

"Yeah, it is a big deal when the SS tackles you and then you end up in front of the ruler of where you live" Josh said.

"I would assume so, however that is not our topic for discussion tonight" Jason said pulling a cigar from his pocket and placing it in his teeth "Would ether one of you two have a lighter on you?"

Josh grabbed his light from a coat pocket and light the mans cigar for him, the device licked shut. Jason took a deep inhale and let out a cloud of smoke that made a fog around his head. The robot named Alfred came wheeling up to the men and presented water to the rangers who grabbed it and drank it down.

"Go ahead and plug in the holotape and lets find out what Frankie was hiding" Jason said. Josh took the holotape and plugged it in to the device that Alfred had in his other hand.

"Agent Lupus Fenix, you have done well infiltrating deep into the Mojave society, however Vulpus whishes for none to be ready to oppose him. Your new mission is to find away to take out the list of people on this holotape, send this back once your objective is completed, Hail Caesar Vulpus" said a voice from the speaker. Josh's eyes grew wide at the knowledge that he had just absorbed.

"You have been brought here because you are my best option for the mission I have" Jason said.

"Yeah, well why not use the SS?" Nikoli said.

"My men are currently busy investigating other matters, besides I don't have the man power to do this" Jason took another hit from the cigar "my men are good but their goals are elsewhere to help this entire mission but you are what I need to carry out the main objective, kill Vulpus Caesar. He has reformed the legion and now rules New Rome. The Legion he commands is better equipped and better trained than ever before, it threatens the NCR, the Mojave and every free man. I can not sit by waiting to get attacked to justify a war like the NCR congress and President, so I have decided that I need the best to carry this preventive strike out, that is you Joshua Grimm" Jason said pointing the burning coal at the end of the cigar at him "you are the best ranger the NCR has ever had, along with a natural leader and a personal stake in this, Vulpus has your daughter"

"What, she is alive? My Sarah?" Josh asked him on the edge of his seat now.

"Yes, he as raised her as his own, she goes by the name Antigone" Jason said "I will give you anything you want in my power that is to give"

"Wait how would we get a nuclear bomb to the New Roman capitol, it's all the way in Utah" Nikoli said.

"First you will need a ten man team, no less. I have taken the liberty of gathering the locations of the other four of your team" Jason said picking up a envelope and handing it to Josh.

"Second, you have a week to do so and return to me" Jason said "now name your price and I will see that it is meet when the job is done"

Josh sat in his seat deep in thought_, this can't be happening, my luck is not this good. I could use this to get everything back and make a life for me and Jess. No more mercenary work, no more prostitution and I can get Sarah back_.

"What are you thinking Josh?" Nikoli asked him as he looked at his friend questing.

"How about you, what's going through your mind" Josh asked.

"A lot but I know the price for this is not possible, so I would rather do this and die for something then die for nothing" Nikoli said.

"What are you talking about?" Josh asked him.

"I didn't want to tell you because I just found out myself, I have lung cancer" Nikoli said "the Followers at the old Mormon fort told me I have less than a year to live"

"I am sorry Nikoli, I can not cure your cancer" Jason said to the Russian.

"I know" The old beaten ranger said, s single tear rolled down his cheek "I once took a oath to defend the free people of the world, and to fight tyrants anywhere, anytime not matter what. I swore loyalty to death to that creed; my price is that you give me the chance to die for that and this mission will do nicely. Im only in if Josh is however"

Josh looked at the Russian friend he had grown up with; his heart went out to him for his plight. His resolve then became set, Josh looked up at Jason.

"I want you to give me, my daughter, and Jess Monroe a new home and two hundred thousand caps when I return" Josh said.

"Consider it done Mister Grimm" Jason said smiling at the ranger.

"Then I am in, I will kill Vulpus Caesar"

"Excellent" Jason said tapping ashes from the cigar into the ash trey in his chairs armrest.

**Please read and review, till next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here it is chapter four of the legend of Grimm. I would like to thank my two reviewers for their time and compliments. **

Caesar Vulpus sat on his throne in the large chamber of what used to be the city hall of Cedar City Utah but now was the palace of New Rome. He drummed his finger on the arm rest of the throne as he listened to the men in front of him talk about the expanding Khan Empire and what should be done about. The men couldn't see Vulpus face from the shadow cast by the ceiling of the room and the candles used to light the table.

"Enough for to day I think" Vulpus said his voice deep and raspy as he stood from his throne and walked down the few steps that lead to the floor. The senators all looked at the man that they both respected and feared. Vulpus was not any for his physical charm; his long blonde hair was gone now replaced by scaring and stubble. The once proud blue eyes where red and gave of a robotic like light, his lower face was covered by a rebreather device that kept him alive since his lungs no longer functioned well enough to process fresh air. His six foot four frame was covered in large amounts of muscle, the result of being a ruler who lead his arm from the front when ever possible and one that actually fought in the arena. His injuries where the result of being thrown into a fire by Joshua Grimm Fourteen years prior, though they where covered for the most part by the regal purple robes that some how the empire he had expanded managed to produce.

"Of course my lord, as you wish" said one man. The other senators followed his lead, stood up and bowed to their ruler and filed out of the room. Vulpus walked to a door on his right, the sound of his metal boots hitting the hard floor clanked through out the chamber like a cave. He walked from the doors and saw a servant waiting for him on the other side.

"You, bring me my daughter Antigone. I wish to speak with her" Vulpus ordered the man. The servant bowed respectfully and hurried of to find the rulers daughter. Vulpus walked along the hall and out the door at the end and on to a balcony. The moon was high in the sky as he looked over his capitol city that stretched out in front of his eyes like an ocean of light and sound. New Rome, a diamond in the rough as some called it. Cedar city was untouched by the war and remained intact for the most part. It had running water that was clean for the Colorado River, power from a sun and wind farm that was built by the original settlers from the local vaults.

"Such a city but still it is not enough" Vulpus said to himself aloud. The noise of the door opening drew his attention causing him to turn to see his daughter Antigone. She bowed to who she knew as her father.

"Good evening father" she said standing straight her long brown hair cascading down her figure like a river "you wished to see me?" Vulpus felt his heart melt at the sight of the girl, though the daughter of his sworn enemy he loved her and her bright green eyes showed him nothing but love. Vulpus originally wanted to train her as a centurion but he decided that she should become his successor as time went on; she was very smart, beautiful, and wise beyond her fourteen years. Vulpus held out his arms, the young girl walked foreword and gave the man a tight hug.

"You are so beautiful my love" Vulpus said as the two separated and ran a finger along his adopted daughters cheek "Now come tell me about your day" The two began to walk along the balcony, Vulpus shortening his steps so Antigone would be walking at a comfortable pace for her.

"It was a good day father" she began "first I studied history with my teacher. It was interesting when we got to the NCR. After words I enjoyed lunch with my good friend Arrius and then learned about the city of Vegas, had dinner with the royal court and was enjoying reading a pre-war book by Charles Dickens. Ten you summoned me so here I am"

"What book were you reading?" Vulpus asked the young fourteen year old girl.

"It was called the tale of two cities. I am not that far in the book and enjoy I ominously" she said "if you get the time father, I recommend it"

"You said that what you learned about the NCR was interesting, how so?" Vulpus asked his girl.

"We preach them as our sworn enemy but they are truly not that different from us. They believe in having a law and higher morals, the make sure that their citizens are all free as do we. I don't see why we should fight some one that we could make peace with and have a mutually beneficial relationship with if we just put aside our past" Antigone said. Vulpus stopped and looked at his daughter, his eyes serious.

"The NCR is nothing like New Rome. We don't enforce our will on people nor do we tax them dry" Vulpus said "we hold ourselves to being honest while they are corrupt. We have honor and they lack any what so ever"

Antigone nodded at the statement but in the back of her mind she thought,_ but that doesn't seem right to me_.

"Now come it is time for you to get some rest" Vulpus said. The young girl gave him a hug, squeezing tight. Vulpus put the breather to her forehead, an action that they both came to know as that of when a parent kisses their Childs fore head.

"I love you daddy" Antigone said squeezing again.

"I love you two my dear now go get some sleep" Vulpus said releasing his girl and turning to face the city once more. Antigone walked through a door and into the palace, a voice caught her attention.

"He is not your real father Antigone" said the voice, one she recognized as Brutus. She shock her head and kept walking now puzzled by what the man had said. Brutus however kept along the hall and towards a flight of stairs. He walked down the wooden steps and reached the entrance to the palace and walked from the large double doors past two Praetorian Guard armed with LMG's.

"Evening sir" one said politely.

"Evening trooper" Brutus said as continued down the road at a quick pace. He silently walked through the streets, the people parted for the man as he passed them. The city of New Rome was raging against the dark of light with the neon sighs that pointed to clubs, bars, shops and other places but Brutus's goal was none of the places. He reached a seemingly abandoned building at the corner of tow streets. The area was dark except for light from the few functioning street lamps, the senator tapped on the door in a beat. The door swung open and the man quickly disappeared inside the room. He was quickly greeted by a host of other men that he recognized as senators of New Rome that, like him opposed the new casers rule.

"Has the meeting started yet?" Brutus asked one of the men.

"No but it will soon" said the man that Brutus had asked. The senator made his way to the screen that the others had gathered around and waited for a response from the device. A message flashed across the screen "incoming transmission". The screen was filled with a man who sat in a chair; smoke was around his face as. The dark night was visible out of the large windows in the room that he currently was sitting in; the moon was high in the sky. The man's electric blue eyes storied at the senators of New Rome with intent.

"Gentlemen it is good to see you again, we have much to discuss" said Jason Jagger smiling at the collected New Roman rebels.

Josh and Nikoli exited the Lucky thirty eight, it was now early morning. Jason had graciously given them the guest bedrooms of the presidential suite to stay the night. The rangers walked down the flight of the steps to the main street of the strip of Vegas. Its usual night life had dispersed or in some cases based out drunk in a gutter. One such man was currently being helped to his feet by two securitrons. The securitrons were Jason Jaggers police force across the wasteland; they served under local sheriffs to ensure that justice was served fairly and equally. The once fifty thousand strong army was decimated in the second coming of the legion, while the NCR military in its entirety was used to defend the core the Mojave was left open but the robot defenders protected the citizens. The force suffered many casualties to it from the legions year long war but the robots along with a hastily trained militia fought them back. Now the bots had returned to their original role as peace keepers, Jason had more lethal servants now.

The rangers looked over the PIP-BOY 3000's that now resided on their wrists, the devices knobs and dials made the device some what tricky to get use to using but once one figured it out they never forgot how to use it. The courier turned famous, or infamous depending on whom you where, ruler of Vegas had uploaded some useful data to help them on their quest to reunite the team from fourteen years previous along with six others to undertake the quest bestowed upon them.

"So what is the first step Josh?" Nikoli asked his old friend.

"First we go back to the wrangler and get our supplies and make a run by the gun shop to get some weapons" Josh said as he stopped his step as the gate to Freeside opened "then we go to the Thorn and pick up Jessie" The two men walked through the now open gate and through the guard post, the securitrons watching them the entire time.

"Have a good day sirs" said one as they walked out from the sanctuary of the guard post and into the concert jungle that was Freeside.

"Jessie was always the fighter, go figure he is a gladiator now" Nikoli said his words buried in his thick Russian accent "Always preferred knives and his fists to rifles and grenades"

"True, we did pull him out of some serious shit in bars more time than I care to count" Josh said smiling at the flashback of the good times with the hand to hand expert of the group, Jessie Owens. Josh was well versed in CQC, the hand to hand system learned by rangers, but Jessie was one of the few better but Josh out did him when it came to the quick draw. Jessie's skill with his fists and feet was a legend in the NCR military to this day.

The two men walked along the road always talking about old times, such as pulling Jessie off a man dumb enough to touch his current girlfriend or Nikoli's ability to unlock anything. Josh looked around when he heard quick footsteps head their way but only saw a single man that he recognized quite easily now. He had brown hair, green eyes and wore a trench coat that covered everything he was wearing and a PIP-BOY was on his wrist.

"Jack what's going?" Josh said to his friend. Jack stopped and looked the two over. His eyes narrowed at the two before he spoke.

"We need to talk now" Jack said in a vary serious tone "get to the shop now"

Josh and Nikoli looked at each other, eyebrows raised as if to say what the fuck? The two then turned to Jack, the man had a very serious domineer around him so the two former rangers fell in line behind him. The trio walked down the street towards the gun shop, _if I don't get back soon and let Jess know im okay im a dead man_ Josh thought as he continued down the street in tow behind Jack. They group finally arrived at the shop; Jack opened the door and double check outside before closing and locking the door behind him. Josh and Nikoli grabbed a chair each and sat down facing Jack, Josh looked puzzled while Nikoli looked rather amused by the entire thing. Jack grabbed a chair and sat down facing the two.

"I guess I should start by asking the simple question" Jack said as he undid the buttons on his leather trench coat "What did Jaggers want?"

Josh was rather taken aback by Jacks question; Nikola's face went from amused to suspicious in a second.

"How do you know about that meeting Jack?" Nikoli asked the man who had become something of a mystery in front of them.

"I know because im the one who he called to follow you and lead a team to capture you" Jack said as he lay back in his chair, the SS stealth armor now reviled under his trench coat "and I want in on the mission"

"Wait you are SS?" Josh asked shocked by the new knowledge.

"Yes I am assigned to Freeside, Jason wants me to use my family ties to the Garrets to watch the casino and being the only gun shop in town now days since Mick and Ralph died I know who is buying weapons, ammo and how much" Jack said explaining why he wasn't in the field "but I no longer want to just sit. I know you need to get member for a ten man team to take out Vulpus. I am your number four, besides I own everything in this shop which is a lot of fire power and gear"

"True but what kind of fire power are we discussing?" Nikoli asked in his deep Russian accent. Jack smiled and stood up form his seat and walked over to a panel in the wall. The panel slid open to revile an electric door switch that he promptly flipped, out of nowhere a door opened in the wall next to the switch and Jack held out his hand.

"After you" Jack said to the two who stood up and walked towards the tunnel. Josh glanced at Jack before walking down the pathway through the lightless tunnel. They reached another door that the SS agent promptly opened and walked through. The trio was now inside a large storage area, weapons, ammo and armor lined the shelves and racks.

"Damn, Jack you been holding out on me" Josh said as he took a marksmen carbine without the scope on and shouldered it looking down the sight. Nikoli looked like a kid in a candy shop as he went from shelf to shelf examine each gun like a mother does a child.

"Well, armor is here as well. Most of its combat armor and the like, everything is in good condition as well" Jack said as he grabbed an assault carbine with a silencer, extended magazines and no stock that, just the buffer tube remained "go ahead and take what you want"

Josh looked around and eventually say some black combat armor that he picked up, the plates clanking as he did so. It was different from most of the readily available armor; it had full armor on the arms and legs. The tactical vest that rested on it was connected to the armor, and connection points for extra plating could be seen. Josh nodded his approval and quickly donned the armor, putting his jacket over top of the chest and his loose fitting brown pants over the leg armor. He then placed his special modded 10mm pistol on his hip, its familiar weight came as a comfort to the former ranger. He then started to browse the selection of weapons and ammo, he was always good with his hunting rifle so decided to keep that one with him. He grabbed a few reloads for it and placed them in some of the open pouches on the belt of the combat armor, next he put a few grenades in cargo pockets of his pants. His original selection of the unscoped marksmen carbine became his choice as he slung it up across his back, and loaded more magazines into the vest for his pistol and rifle. Josh looked over to see Nikoli in similar gear but his combat armor had the heavy plates attached to it that the Russian had managed to find in the storage room, he wore his long coat over the armor. Nikoli's weapons of choice were his 12.7mm pistol, a hunting shotgun that was currently slung on the large mans back and a 10mm SMG rested on his hip. The armors pouches and other pockets where stuffed with ammo. Josh smiled at his friend as he placed a combat knife in its sheath on his leg. Jack was busy putting ammo for the assault carbine that he had picked out in to the pouches that adorned the stealth suit he wore. He had also chosen a 10mm pistol as his sidearm that he placed into a holster on his hip, the three looked ready to take on an entire army themselves, and unfortunately that was the case this time once they got the rest of their team.

"All right lets get back to the wrangler and get what ever other supplies we need to get this mission going" Josh said as he lead them up from the storage area.

"I don't thank that will be necessary" Jack said "the Thorn is only a half mile away from here, I say we pack and leave tomorrow for Sloan"

"I agree with Jack, lets go to the Thorn and have ourselves before we dive into this head first" Nikoli said as the door behind the trio of men. Josh nodded his approval to the idea that Nikoli had presented to them.

"Okay, ill meet you guys back at the Wrangler once I go get something" Josh said. The other two nodded and the three exited the doors and went their separate ways, Josh went off down the street and hung a left while the other two head down their current street towards the casino.

"So, what's the history behind you and Josh Nikoli?" Jack asked him his tone showing polite interest. Nikoli laughed at the question, his loud laughter made people on the streets look at the two in a funny manor.

"Our history begins many years ago when he was six, I was seven" Nikoli said "we both grew up in the ghettos of the hub, no parents, no rules, and no future. We ran with a local gang of street rats for many years, we stole what we needed to survive and lived in abandoned buildings that could collapse at anytime"

"That sound like not much of beginning" Jack said as the two walked side by side along the street.

"No but luckily it got much better as time went along. We eventually got jobs and worked up enough money to live in a more legal way, no more running from the MPs" Nikoli said as eyes deep with nostalgia "Josh meet Maria, that's his ex-wife, may she rest in peace, and we ended up moving in with her family from the rundown empty store we had set ourselves up in"

"That sounds weird to live with your best friends girlfriend and the family to boot" Jack said looking perplexed as he did.

"it was awkward at first but the family managed to make enough room, we slept on couches for two year till we turned eighteen" Nikoli said his Russian accent covering his words like butter on bread "then the second war with the legion started and we joined the army, to get a future"

"And how did you become rangers?" Jack said as he held open the door for the Russian man.

"It started as a joke, Moui Droog" Nikoli said as he entered the Wrangler.

Josh walked at a steady pace back towards the Atomic Wrangler; he snapped shut a small case as he walked along. The formers ranger jacket was zipped up to hide the combat armor; it wasn't illegal but drew unwanted attention to himself that he didn't want. _I hope see likes it_, Josh said as he kept walking down the pathway. It was now midday, his stomach growled at him but the man had a look of determination as he walked. The door to the wrangler opened with a creak as he pulled the aged gate open and stepped into the run down casino. It was midday and already the place had many customers, some at the tables, others just there to meet at a relatively safe place to meet at. The reason most where there was to get lunch and listen to the band that was currently on stage, it played a song called "sex and candy". Josh went up to the bar; Stephan Garret looked up from the newspaper he was reading to see Josh standing in front of him.

"Where is Jess?" Josh asked the bartender.

"She's in her room, and no she is not with a client but she's been worried sick" Stephan said "I would get up there Reaper before she kills you"

Josh nodded and quickly headed up the stairs behind the bar and made his way through the halls till he arrived at Jess, and for lack of his own home, his room. He slowly opened the door, thankfully it didn't make a sound as he did, and he saw Jess sleeping on the bed.

_Must have been a late night_, he thought to himself as he walked into the room. He shut the door silently behind him and made his way to the dresser and began to take of his combat armor and put back on his shirt, pants and boots. He wouldn't need the armor till later anyway. His stomach growled, he glanced at jess and saw here sleeping still silently, _she is so beautiful_ Josh thought as he looked at the women that he had fell in love with, he beautiful blonde hair, he couldn't see her eyes but she looked so peaceful as she slept soundly in the bed. _It seems that some of us can find some peace in this destroyed world that we inherited, thanks a lot world_ Josh said to himself as he once again pondered what would have happened if the Great War never destroyed the world in one night. The ranger quickly dismissed those thoughts and head back down to the lower floor of the wrangler to get some food for his now roaring stomach. He sat down at the bar, Stephan Garret walked up to him to take his order for his midday meal. Josh listened to the band that played in the Casino, this one was different the song was sad. As the former ranger listened to the lyrics of the piece of music, it was a beautiful song. It fitted his life all too well at this point except he had a new lover;_ she is no replacement for Maria. I don't think anyone could ever replace her but I love Jess the same way I love Maria_ Josh thought, the song suddenly hit a fast part in the rhythm but I did little to serve to make the mood of the piece happier.

"Hey, Stephan what is this song called?" Josh asked him his voice flat.

"Its called A way to fall, the band up there wrote it about a first recon solider that was alive around the same time as the second battle of the damn" Stephan said as he placed the food that Josh usual ordered from the restaurant in the Casino "the mans name was Craig Boone"

"I never heard of him, but judging by this song he didn't lead a life of prosperity did him?" Josh asked the bartender.

"No, he ended up killing himself and the officer in charge of the Bitter Springs massacre" Stephan said. Josh looked at his food and began to eat his meal, he pondered about this upcoming decision he was going to make. This mission he could very well not come home from, _hell if Jason pays this well I may just join his SS_ Josh thought _but I think it maybe time for a more quiet life after this_. Josh quickly finished his meal, paid the bartender and headed back up to his room to see Jess; he opened the door to find her still sleeping form on the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed; he looked at the women as she slept soundly. He brushed some hair out of her face that had fallen over it as she slumbered. The girls faced scrunched up from the touch, she didn't look her twenty-eight years of age. Her complexion was still that of a teenager and her skin was flawless, a rarity in the wasteland. She had only been an escort for the last six years, before that she worked on a farm with her family till it was raided. The only work someone like her could find unfortunately was as a prostitute, it was a sad thought but Josh had decided to change that for the better. _Even if I don't make she will still have the money and home_, the thought some how comforted Josh that she would e taken care of. Jess stirred finally and opened her sky blue eyes to see Josh looking at her a smile on his face. She looked up the man, his brown eyes looked fondly at her, his hair was getting to long and messy, and the rough beard on his face made him look much older than the thirty six years he had endured in the in forgiven world of post-apocalypse.

"What happened to you last night?" Jess asked him as she sat up, the over large t-shirt she wore gathered around her knees that now supported her.

"It's a long story" Josh said as he got closer to her "but I have time to tell it"

Jess looked at him an eyebrow razed.

"This better be damn good, I was worried you had been hurt really bad" Jess said.

Nikoli and Jack were busy in Jacks room packing up three bags worth of food, water and other essential items to survive in the wasteland for an extended amount of time. The bags held a good deal of food, extra ammo that wasn't in magazines. Canteens full of fresh water filled the mess pouches on the outside of the packs, along with the bed roll and the parts for the three man tent that Jack had was split between the three of them.

"Well, it looks like we are ready to go for tonight. I think that we shouldn't return after we got the Thorn later tonight, it would make us easier to follow or track" Jack said as he closed the flap on the pack to he was currently readying for the week long journey.

"Who would follow us, we would just look like mercs or caravan guards returning to some outpost or something" Nikoli said in his Russian accent.

"True but the first thing that Jason told us when we joined the SS is that you never know who is watching. In fact, I don't know much about this since I haven't been sent on a field operation for awhile, but Jason knows that there is something out in the world that the general populace don't know about" Jack said as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"What are you talking about?" Nikoli asked pondering what Jack had just said.

"Well, first off when we started we looked into what happened to the remnants of the enclave. Most moved west but where destroyed by the brotherhood of steel chapter in DC, we looked into the fate of these men. We found that they had vanished from the base that the remnants had managed to make, no blood, signs of struggle. We did more digging and found some strange things in terminals from the pre-war days. Most of the strange data made references to something, but it was never named, the thing that puzzled the SS, brotherhood, and Jaggers himself was that most of the information we recovered was found in vaults, banks and a private space facility that was run by a company called AERA cooperation" Jack said "We never found enough clues to begin piecing it together, so most of the SS and brotherhood began to send the forces out on other missions then theses data collecting operations. Jason will still send some out every now and then for it"

Nikoli looked at the SS agent perplexed, why would the brotherhood care or even work with the SS, so he voiced his question.

"Why would the SS and brotherhood even care about data found in banks, vaults and other places?" Nikoli asked him.

"The SS was created by Jason Jaggers to be specialized unit that only he commanded, Jason is a Brotherhood paladin, a fact few know. Jason and the brotherhood work together quite a lot, in fact the scribes designed and produce the armor I am currently wearing. The SS expanded and more entities lent support, for example the followers don't pay taxes to the NCR a deal that Jason made, instead they make the life support and medical components of the suit. This armor could keep me alive if I took a bullet to the heart for a few days, so I can complete a mission or get to a doctor. The gun runners made a similar deal with Jason, the man's influence has turned the SS from a brotherhood unit to what it is today, all in ten years" Jack said "we are Jason's personal elite force, and the robots are his army"

"Who will lead the SS when Jason dies?" Nikoli asked the agent.

"Well, many SS don't think he will for a long time. He has access to mister houses medical data, he could find away to keep himself alive a long time without freezing himself with it I believe he already has. He looked damn health for someone supposedly in their seventies, don't you agree?" Jack asked the Russian. Nikoli pondered this question for while; he did look quite healthy for a very old man.

"Yes" Nikoli said.

Jess sat next to Josh on the edge of the bed, Josh had put an arm around her as he told her the story. She had now listened to the story that Josh had told her, she beloved him seeing that he did have a PIP-BOY now and the notes on it proved what he said.

"So you are going on this adventure for revenge?" Jess said in an angry tone at him.

"In a way yes I am" Josh said looking down at the floor "but I am also doing this for my daughter, to bring her home"

"What home Josh? You live in a whore's room at a rundown casino in a ghetto!" Jess yelled at him "she is probley better off with the New Romans"

"No, this wont be our home when we return" Josh said.

"So you asked Jason Jaggers for money and a home for you and your daughter" Jess said as she scuffed at him.

"No, I asked Jason to give you a home and money" Josh said as he pulled something from his pocket, but Jess didn't notice "you see I need some one to be a mother for my Sarah, when she gets back"

"But she will have you Josh, her father" Jess said as she looked into Josh's brown eyes.

"Don't you think I realize I my not come back from this Jess, I could die and she needs someone to comeback to" Josh said as he stood up and then knelt in front of her. He opened his hands to revile a ring in a small case that he presented to Jess, _I love you Maria but I love Jess to I hope you can forgive me for using your ring_. Josh felt something I his heat that told him that up there Maria was smiling from where ever we go when we die.

"And so do" Josh said.

**So, there is chapter four. Please, please leave some more reviews; they are seriously like writing fuel. Till the next chapter**


	5. Chapter 5

Josh, Nikoli, and Jack stepped jumped down from the ladder that lead from the surface entrance of the fight club known as the Thorn. It was set in and old sewer station that had been made into an arena, the fight pit still had the blood stain of previous conflicts in it and the smell of death ran rampant through out the facility. The trio was now once again fully armed, the crowd of people parted for them as they walked through to the bar of the club. They reached the bar, a converted maintenance area with the large bench serving as the bar counter; a line of bar stools with some men looking people was along one side. Josh motioned for Jack and Nikoli to go watch his back; this was a fight club full of drunk, angry, men who are always looking for a fight. Josh sat down at the bar; he managed to blend in with the men at the bar quite well, with his eye patch and the large scar across his face. The bar tender, a ghoul wearing a white shirt and brown pants, walked over to Josh as he put his hand up to motion the man over.

"What can I get you?" the ghoul said in his raspy voice.

"Whiskey and some information" Josh said as he placed some caps on the table. The bartender leaned over the counter so that his face was closer, he looked let and right quickly before taking the caps and pocketing them.

"What ya need to know?" he asked the former ranger.

"Jessie Owens's" Josh said as he took a drink from the glass of whiskey.

"The slave fighter that Annie owns?" the bartender asked.

"Yeah, sure that would be him" Josh said.

"Well, he was an NCR ranger for awhile I heard" the bartender said.

"Good now tell me were they keeping the slaves" Josh said to the bartender he motioned with his hand but the tender couldn't see it.

"Cant tell you that, Annie will have my head if I do" the ghoul said.

"Ill give you one more chance to tell me exactly what I want to know" Josh said as he straightened up in his chair.

"Or what?" the ghouls said putting a 44 magnum revolver down on the table. The mans eyes widened, a slight shimmer was seen near him but an untrained or drunk person would miss it complete.

"You have to choice, tell us or get your brains splattered all over the bar" Josh said taking a drink "it's up to you"

"What the hell is going on here?" the ghouls asked loudly drawing the attention of a few people. The bartender looked around at the crowd; they went back to their drinks rather quickly figuring it was just to men getting into a fight.

"Jessie Owens is needed by the SS" Josh said "and pressed up against the side of your head is a 10mm pistol being held by my ghostly friend"

"The slave pens are on the bottom level, follow the tunnels from the cages in the arena" the ghoul said, the shimmer moved on.

"Thanks for your time sir" Josh said. He stood up and walked back to the balcony that over looked the arena, Nikoli stood leaning up on the railing. Josh walked over and stood by the large Russian man.

"So, what did we find out about Jessie?" Nikoli asked shifting so his one arm rested on the bar and he faced Josh.

"He is a slave fighter for the owner of this place" Josh said as Jack deactivated the cloaking of his suit. He wore the entire thing and had removed his jacket which explained what Nikoli currently and folded up and over on arm. The three stood in a somewhat secluded corner of the Thorn.

"How the fuck did Jessie end up a slave?" Nikoli asked Josh.

"My guess his big mouth or a lost gamble" Josh said "doesn't matter, ask him once Jack gets him back here"  
"and how do I go about doing that?" Jack asked the former ranger.

"Me and Nikoli will watch your back from up here. You sneak down to the slave cage and get Jessie out, those tunnels will also be full of dangerous animals" Josh said as he faced back to the arena that was down in the floor. Now fighting was a deathclaw and a few fighters.

"And let me guess, you will find away to get us an exit from the arena to back up here to get out?" Jack asked Josh. Josh nodded, Jack looked down at the arena and activated the cloaking device on his wrist and disappeared from view.

"So, how will we make an exit for those two?" Nikoli asked in his deep Russian accent. Josh smiled, then pulled out his revolver and checked the ammo for it.

"That the easy part, how you feel about getting into some serious shit?" Josh asked his comrade.

"You know sometimes its hard to be your friend" Nikoli said as he looked back at the fight that was currently in the arena, the deathclaw had ripped the last man apart with it s massive clawed hands.

Jess walked down from her and Josh's room in the casino, the Atomic Wrangler to the bar of the wrangler and sat down. She was dressed in a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket that Josh had given her for her birthday a few weeks ago. She was still looking at the ring that now resided on her finger, Stephen walked over to her.

"What going on Jess?" Stephan asked the her.

"Not much but I have some news" Jess said as she placed her hand on the table, one of her friends sat down next to her, she was an escort to. She looked down at Jess's hand and than back up to her, a large smile on her face. She had long black hair and blue eyes as well, her name was Morgan.

"Jess, what is with the ring?" Morgan asked her.

"Josh finally asked me the question, I am getting married Morgan" Jess said "and I am done with being a whore Stephan"

"Well, I knew this day was coming" Stephan said "look you got no where to stay and no work if you quit but I'll tell you what ill do. You can stay into the room till you get a home and work at the tables as a dealer for now"

"Thanks Stephan" Jess said. Two men then walked through the door of the wrangler and walked up to the bar, they stood on either side of Jess who now looked quite nervous.

"Miss Monroe, if you will follow use we will take you to your new home in the lucky thirty eight" said one of the men. The two people that Jess was talking with, jaws dropped at what they had just heard. Jess got up and nodded to the two men and followed them out the door.

Jack jumped from the ledge of the balcony over looking the arena in the Thorn, he grabbed on to pipes as he moneyed his way down to the floor of the fight clubs ring. The blood of the previous fight covered the floor; the bodies of the men who had volunteered to fight the deathclaw were in chunks all over the arena floor. The deathclaw was trained to recognize the trainers that wore green as friends, the trainers had come out to take the animal back to its cage. The deathclaw followed the trainers through a large gate and walked into a tunnel that was on the other side of the gate, Jack followed close behind his stealth suits cloaking field keeping him well hidden from the beast and people in front of him. The trainers lead the deathclaw into its cage, were the best curled up into a ball. Jack watched as the trainers then went to work healing the creature's injuries, they applied a few bandages over the few wounds it had. Jack saw a patrol of three men walking his way; they were talking about some of the fighting that had happened tonight. _The more of these men I take out before hand, the easier it will be to get back out once I break Jessie out of here_ Jack thought as he took cover behind a crate. The stealth system on the suit wasn't perfect, the faster one moved the more visible they became to the naked eye. Jack smiled from under the visor of the suit as an idea popped into his head. He quickly sprinted across the tunnels gap and up the wall and grabbed onto a pipe, his plan had worked out perfectly.

"What the fuck was that!" said the man that was leading the group of men. The three were armed with chins' assault rifles, a weapon that had began to appear when the east coast brotherhood had sent back a group of men that sold one to the gun runners who promptly began to make the weapon in bulk.

"I don't know it was black what ever it was, and fast" a man from the patrol said as he began to advance down the hallway towards were Jack was hiding by hanging on the pipes that ran the length of the ceiling. He began to sling down the pipe to the man in the back. At this point the trainer that were working on the deathclaw had come out and looked around, the enemies that Jack faced now was five plus that deathclaw if it came out of its cage. _That thing better stay the fuck put, I am not on the menu_ Jack thought as he continued to inch his way down the pipe. He reached his destination, right behind the man that was in the back of the group, Jack then silently drew his combat knife. He let go with both arms and swung down behind the man, far enough away that he didn't alert the man. He grabbed the mans head and slit his throat, the guard then gurgled and died as his comrades turned to see what the noise was. Jack jumped down from the pipe and rolled to onside and ended up behind a crate.

"On man, fuck it got James" said one of the guards as he frantically began scanning the tunnel with the end of his gun. Jack picked up a rock and tossed it into the pipes on the ceiling, the four remaining guards all looked up at the ceiling, and two had flashlights and scanned the pipes. Jack ran foreword and plunged his knife into the guard who was closest to him got his knife throught the back of his skull. He hit the ground with a clatter of metal as he dropped his gun; the three living men all looked at the now dead man.

"Fuck, shit, not good" said one of them as he turned to run away. Jack didn't need any of them getting away to alert the others, so he grabbed a knife from his suit and threw it at the fleeing man. The blade stuck in the guard's spine and made him fall over paralyzed but he landed on his back from the twist that he developed as he fell, so the knife was now forced through his entire chest cavity. Before the other two guards could react Jack smashed his fist into one of their faces, the mans head snapped back but he remained somewhat conscious. His partner turned to face the assailant but jack was just a blur as he kicked the other man into the wall. The SS agent deactivated the cloaking device so the quick motions of the fight wouldn't over load it, to much quick movement overloaded its processor and resulted in a cool down period. The men were taken back be the sudden appearance of the agent. Jack used this to his advantage and charged at one of the men who did exactly what Jack expected, he went for a punch. The mans arm rocketed for Jacks face plate of the helmet of the stealth suit. Jack rolled to one side and shoot out for the mans leg, he stayed low almost on the ground. The man's leg bulked under the impact of Jacks weight slamming into it, the guard went down only to get kicked in the face as the agent rolled through the take down and connect his foot with the mans head. The other guard had managed to get of the floor and pick up his weapon in the few seconds that jack had needed to take down his partner. Jack took a few quick steps at the man as the guard tried to load in the magazine since it had clattered out when the gun hit the floor. The agents hand shoots out and gripped the fore grip of the rifle and placed his foot behind the guard's foot. Jack grabbed the guards throat and forced him back and over his leg so that he landed on the ground hard, the rifle was still in the guards hand the was pointed up. Jack stepped around the arms gripped the mans hand with both of his and twisted as hard as he could, the result was a few good pops and the would be scream was drowned out by Jacks knee that rested on the guards throat, chocking the man. The other guard and stumbled to his feet, blood ran down the mans face from his broken nose. Jack saw the guard go for his pistol, the agent ran at him, he was only a few feet away, and slammed his hand onto the front end of the 9mm pistol. The chamber unlocked and the guards trigger pull was meet with a click form his weapon. Jack gripped the mans wrist with the same hand after sliding it down from the gun and forced his other hand up through the man's elbow with his full strength, he even put his legs and back into it, the guards elbow was then bent at the wrong angle which resulted in a scream that was silenced as Jack grabbed the mans knife from his belt and brought it up through the guards lower jaw. Jack heard the sound of something heavy hit the floor, he ran fore the gate on the cage of the deathclaw door and slammed it shut just as the beast came charging at him from the back of its dwelling. Jack walked over to the man whose arm he had destroyed; the guard was gripping the wrecked limb and moaned in pain. Jack gripped the man and brought him to the face level so that he was looking right into the red visor of Jacks helmet.

"Jessie Owens, what cage?" Jack asked the voice scrambler in the mouth piece of the helmet making him sound like some sort of robot.

"Down the tunnel, ta-take a left and it, it will be the fourth cage on, the ri-right" that guard said through the pain.

"Your arms will heal but I cant risk you going of for help" Jack said as he twirled the man around and put him in a choke hold and silently choked him out to where he was unconscious and leaned him up against the wall, his arm raised to help it from being to much of a mess.

Josh and Nikoli walked up to the desk were they could sign up to fight in the arena, the women behind the desk looked up at the two of them.

"We want in the arena" Josh said to the women.

"All right, here's how it works when outsiders jump in the fights. You survive a round you get money, after each round if you are alive you can back out or go again. I will needed your names"

"Simple, I like it" Nikoli said as he grabbed his shotgun and cycled the round into the chamber "when do we start"

"I like your attitude" said a seductive voice from behind the two former rangers, they turned to see Annie, the owner of the Thorn. Her skin thigh leather arm left little to imagine and her bright red hair and blue eyes stared at them in a predatory like manor.

"What's your name big boy?" Annie asked Nikoli as she ran a finger under his jaw, the long nail nipping his chin.

"Nikoli Breshnev, Zaychik moy" Nikoli said as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. Nikoli's suave nature once again worked in his favor as Annie smiled at him.

"How charming, a man with manors" She then went to Josh and looked at him, she stared at his face.

"I know of you, you are the bounty hunter they call Reaper" Annie said, Josh stood still as she walked around him "The one who killed camps of legion troops, would kill anyone for the right price"

"The one and the same" Josh said as he looked down at the woman who is as infamous in the wasteland as the legendary deathclaw.

"Ill be looking foreword to seeing you two in the ring" Annie said. The two men watched as she walked away, Nikoli's eyes specifically following her butt as she strutted away. Josh whipped his hand around and hit Nikoli in the back of the head. The Russians head snapped foreword a bit and then looked at Josh. Josh shook his head as the two walked into through the door to the arena entrance, Nikoli punched Josh in the shoulder. They walked into the entrance of the arena and say the attendant.

"All right you two drop the firearms into the crate along with anything else you wish to remain undamaged in the fight" The rangers dropped their jackets into the crate and then faced the door, the metal entrance clanged open as the main part dropped into the floor and the locks undid. The two rangers stepped out and saw their opponents, a group of four men.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, ring your attention to the ring" the announcer said "In the blue cage we have the four horsemen and their freelancing opponents, the bounty hunter Reaper and Nikoli Brezhnev"

"Ready for this old pal?" Nikoli asked in his Russian accent.

"Yeah, just remember when we get the message back out and make sure we keep that door open" Josh said as he drew his combat knife.

"Let's get ready to Rumble!" the announcer yelled over the roar of the crowd.

Jessie Owens sat in the back of his cell, the two guards outside of it stood like statues. Jessie's long dreadlocks fell around his face as he leaned foreword and looked at the floor with his brown eyes. His dark toned face bore the scars of many fights; his body showed this as well, a long scar ran the length of his chest. He sat in the dark in the only clothing that Annie saw fit to give him, a pair of burlap pants that where held up by a rope and a few ranges as some what of a vest, a pair of shackles entrapped his wrists, his cloths hung onto his five foot ten, lean built frame. He picked up a rock and threw it at one of the guards, it hit him in the head and the man whipped around and glared at Jessie.

"Do that again and I will beat your ass whole sale, slave" the man said.

"What ever you say mon" Jessie said with his in his deep voice with his Jamaican accent covering his words, something he gained from his family. The guard then turned and faced the tunnel again looking straight foreword. Jessie picked up a bigger rock and hit the other guard in the back of the head. The two turned around and glared daggers that the black man as he sat in the corner chuckling, the one guard opened the cell door.

"Oh please mon, I could take you both. Even with these chains around my wrists" Jessie said taunting the guards. One opened his mouth but the words never formed as both guards were suddenly forced to the ground, blood pooled around them.

"Oh shit, this is not irie" Jessie said as he stood to face the open cell gate, there was a watery blur in the open gate way.

"Jessie Owens?" a voice asked in a rather robotic and scrambled fashion.

"Yeah, looks like death finally going to catch me" Jessie said. Jessie's eyes opened wide as a figure materialized in front of him. The thing was humanoid and wore some sort of skin tight armor, with plates around the chest and on the shoulders. More steel protected the fore arms and legs of the figure, tactical gear were strapped to the figure. The things head was protected by a fully incasing hood that had a metal mouth piece, a visor in a steel plate that protected the head covered the wear's head. The hood mad many small metal plates that protected the skull of the thing that Jessie had now decided was a man in some sort of armor. The man grabbed the hood and pulled it back over his head and exposed his features. The man had shaggy brown hair and bright green eyes set on a some what Asian looking face.

"My names Jack Garret, I am with the SS and here with Josh and Nikoli to bust you out of here" Jack said.

"Well, much thanks Jack but were be my old friends mon?" Jessie asked the agent.

"in the arena making sure we have away out" Jack said as he bent down and picked up one of the guards key rings and tossed it to the slave fighter "here get those shackles off"

Jessie caught the keys and begin to try the different ones out and found the one that worked, the heavy metal shackle fell from one wrist then the other. The chain fell and gathered on the floor of the cell with a loud, tinkling clang. Jessie looked up at jack who had stripped one of the guards of his armor, gear and weapons and pushed the pile to the dark skinned man. Jessie smiled and nodded as he picked up the armor and began to put the olive green combat armor on. He put the 12.7mm pistol in its holster and picked up the Chinese assault rifle and checked the chamber for a round and then looked back at the agent. Jack grabbed his hood and pulled it back over his head, once again his voice came out scrambled.

"Let's get out of here" Jack said as he pulled his assault carbine up and started down the hallway.

"right behind ya mon" Jessie said as he stepped from his cell into freedom.

Nikoli and Josh currently stood in the arena; the area around them had the bodies of a few men and now a pack of coyotes that Annie had tried to use to defeat them. The two stood back to back as the ruler of the Thorn stood up from her seat and glared down at the men in the arena. Josh heard a small beep from his PIP-BOY and looked down to see a message form Jack "Have Jessie". Josh then held up his arms above his head to single that he was done, Nikoli did the same. Annie scuffed as the assistant came out and escorted them from the ring and back to the red cage, _not good Jack had to go through the blue side_ Josh thought as the door back to the waiting area opened. The two former rangers and the assistant stepped inside; Josh waited till he was inside the room and the door shut before he turned around and punched the man right in the nose. The man's head snapped back right into Nikoli's waiting hand; the Russian then promptly smashed the man's head against the wall. The assistant slouched to the ground unconscious, Josh quickly moved him of into an outcome.

"Come on let's get our gear back on and open this door" Nikoli said as he quickly began putting his tactical gear back on and grabbed his shotgun. Josh ran over to the crate and threw his gear on; he grabbed his service rifle and ran to the door. He quickly ran to the door and pressed himself against the wall on the other side of the door from where Nikoli was pressed against the wall as well; he had his SMG in hand. Josh held up his hand and counted down with three fingers and opened the door. The two man looked into the arena and saw the door on the other side open up and saw Jack in his full suit and Jessie in olive drab combat armor. Josh's ears picked up the sound of guns being readied and Annie's voice that echoed over the arena.

"Kill them both!" she yelled as she realized that her prized slave fighter was about to escape. Josh and Nikoli stepped out of the door and took aim at the guards that surrounded the arenas perimeter on walk ways lower then were the citizens watched the fights. Josh waved his hand at the two and yelled out to them.

"Move!" Josh yelled as he opened fire on the guard he had sighted down on, the man's head exploded from the round impacting his head. The arena roared with gunfire as the four men on the floor opened fire upon the men on the balconies. Josh and Nikoli pumped rounds at the men as fast as they could, the men that didn't get in cover fast enough landed on the ground dead. The whole fight lasted a few seconds as the two men sprinted across the arena and through the doorway, Josh and Nikoli slowly walked back to the door keeping fire down range at the guards on the catwalks that surrounded the walls. Jessie hit the switch for the door as they walked through the door, the large steel plates of the door slammed shut. Josh turned and looked at Jessie; he wrapped the man in a hug. Jessie embraced him and then Nikoli; he stepped back and smiled at his old friends.

"My old friends it is good to see you" Jessie said as he placed his hands back on his rifle.

"good to see you now we got about five more seconds before the guards come to kill us so lets save the reunion" Jack said as he checked around the corner. Josh nodded and the four took up positions behind Jack and they moved around the corner. Jack lead them up the stairs and to the next hall, the door at the other end opened up and the sound of something hitting the metal floor rang out. Jack ran foreword and kicked the grenade that one of the guards had tossed into the hall, the explosive went flying back out the door and exploded. The four then rushed the door and stormed out of it. Guards were coming at them but before they could fire off any rounds that would accurately hit the four men they were being hit by rounds from the rifles of the team. The four stormed along one side of the arenas perimeter that surrounded it from the top. The guards that tried to attack the four men were dropped as the team worked together to cover each other as they crossed across the large room. They stormed through the door that lead to the ladder up to the surface; they crouched around the base of the ladder.

"Jessie up the ladder first!" Josh ordered the former ranger. The dark skinned man quickly climbed up the ladder and opened the man hole to the surface and put his gun back through the opening to cover the next man up the ladder.

"Nikoli, Move!" Josh yelled as the door opened up at the end of the small tunnel that lead to the ladder. A few more guards were on the other side but the moment they were visible to the four's sights they were engulfed in fire from the weapons. The few guards that were not killed in the fire dove back around the door way and took cover.

"Jack up the ladder move it1" Josh yelled. The SS agent quickly ran up the ladder and put the barrel of his gun through the man hole and started to fire at the doorway to keep the guards on the other side from coming back around the corner. Josh turned and sprinted up the ladder and climbed up into the night but before the others shoved the man hole cover back he tossed a grenade down into the ladder way. The cover slammed into its slot and the muffled sound of an explosion rang out. The four men then ran down the road as fast as they could.

Annie sat at her desk in her room in the Thorn, the place was a mess. The fire fight had left twelve of her guard's dead and a few more wounded. None of the citizens had been killed a few wounded but none of them was killed, _thankfully_. She sipped some vodka from a glass and looked at the four men in front of her; they were dressed in black combat armor. They had a red wolf's head painted on the chest piece of their armor, the red wolves some of the best mercenaries in the wasteland. This group was at the Thorn when the firefight broke out.

"Bring me back those four men's head, I will give you ten thousand a piece" she said to the mercs. The leader looked at his comrades and held out his hand, Annie took it and shook. The four men then exited her office and Annie leaned back in her seat and looked at a letter she had received.

_Dear Annie,_

_I would like to pay you to help me in a matter that is of upmost importance to the legion, Kill Joshua Grimm._

_His Majesty,_

_Vulpus Caesar_

Josh, Nikoli, Jack and Jessie had finally stopped running when they had reached the Grub n' Gulp Rest stop. They were sitting around the fire on the make shift bedding that surrounded the fire; the Rest stop had been upgrade by the original owners children. The main rest area, the one they were in had, now had a roof and walls around it making it a more solid shelter, the fire's smoke went out the hole that was in the roof.

"So, Jessie how did you end up as a slave fighter?" Josh asked as he leaned on one of his arms on his bed.

"Well, let me tell you mon, it was no easy task" Jessie began with a chuckle "it started after we chased Vulpus and he got away, I ran with a mercenary group for while that often did good work, no execution or raids for some rich pricks. As time went on they did more I didn't like and ended up trying to leave, so they jumped me with ten men and sold me to Annie as a slave, that was only two years ago. I hated being a slave; I had no freedom and killed for others men enjoyment"

"You always did get in to some shitty situations" Nikoli said in his dead Russian accent. The four men laughed at the comment, Jack had heard some stories about Josh's friends form him but meeting them in person showed them to be more than what they were in the stories.

"Yeah, you did Jessie. I remember after that raid we had to do against the Zoku down in Baja, Arizona" josh said as he pointed at the dark toned man "we got into that fight with a bunch of punks that though they could take us, god how did that even start?"

Jessie laughed as the memory came back to him "I believe it was Nikoli, he was flirting with one of the guy's girls. He didn't like that so we got in a brawl; remember when Scott threw the one into the bar?" Jessie asked laughing harder.

"Yeah and Erick and Billy Pride took out like seven of them" Josh said "man, that went from us six and the eight we were fighting to the entire bar in a few seconds"

Jessie nodded and Nikoli chuckled as he shook his head, the friends smiled as the nostalgic moment passed.

"So, what is going on Josh?" Jessie asked as took a drink from a bottle of whiskey that was being passed around the circle.

"Well, ill start from the beginning…" Josh started and went on to explain the what they were doing, how they had a deadline to get the team back together and then go after the legion once again.

"So, we getting a few new members to the old gang" Jessie said "and then going to destroy our greatest enemy in nuclear fire, I like that part, it will add weight to the story we will tell years from now" Jessie said.

**Longest chapter yet, please, please drop a review for this chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

Josh snapped up from his bed in the shelter, he had a cold sweat on his skin. He looked over to see Jessie awake as he prodded the fire, the flames cast shadows on the dark skinned mans face. Josh slung his legs out of the bed and felt the cold ground on the soles of his callused feet. The former ranger reached in his pack and grabbed a bottle of whiskey; he took a good long drink from the bottle. The alcohol scalded as it went down his throat, the feeling helped to dull other pains that Josh had.

"Ey, Mon pass that over here" Jessie said as he held out a hand, Josh paced the bottle to Jessie. Jessie took a small swig and set the bottle down by his feet, Josh placed his head in his hands.

"So, what you dreaming about Josh?" Jessie asked in his Jamaican accent.

"When we nearly killed Vulpus" Josh said as he looked down at his chest a scar laid on the left side of his chest.

"I remember, you smashed his face into a fire and where about to blow his brains out" Jessie said "then those people came and saved him" Josh closed his eyes as his mind drifted back to that day…

Vulpus and Josh stood facing one another, the fires that burned around them from the firefight that had occurred in the village moments before between Josh and his team against what remained of the legion. Vulpus ran at Josh his arm back to take a swing at the ranger. Josh say it coming and ducked under the wild swing and quickly kicked Vulpus in the back. The man turned around, the two faced each other down and then the fight began. Vulpus swinging at Josh as the ranger used his training in CQC to block the attacks and wait for the enraged legion leader to mess up, Vulpus did not disappoint. The man took a large kick at Josh; the ranger caught it and took Vulpus to the ground hard. Josh then began to punch every inch of Vulpus's face that he could find. Vulpus then caught one of Josh's fists and threw him off, Josh rolled into a wooden wall that was slightly charred, and Vulpus charged him and tackled him through it. Vulpus then tried to kick Josh in the ribs but the ranger was to fast as he caught the foot. Josh then wrapped his arms around Vulpus's angles and drove him to the ground. Vulpus kicked Josh in the face; Josh grabbed his nose and felt blood run down his face. Vulpus stood up and faced Josh, the ranger stood facing the man who murdered his wife rage in his one eye that he still had. Vulpus spat blood on the ground from the split lip he had from the brawl, Josh whipped blood from under hi broken nose.

"Bring you mother fucker!" Josh yelled at Vulpus. Vulpus scowled and charged at Josh, the ranger quickly threw one arm under Vulpus and hooked his left arm over Vulpus's and used the charging man's momentum to throw him over his right hip and into the burning ashes behind the two. Vulpus was shocked for a brief second before he started punching at Josh from the ground; Josh answered each blow with one of his own. Vulpus grabbed a piece of timber and swung it for the rangers head, a clung followed its connection to Josh's head. Josh fell of Vulpus and stood up dazed and looked up to see the wooden club head for his face so he quickly ducked and as he stood up he brought an uppercut into Vulpus kidneys. The ranger grabbed Vulpus long hair and yanked him back and planted his elbow into Vulpus face. Vulpus whipped around, his hair came loose in a few places in Josh's hand. Josh threw a punch but the legion leader caught it and delivered a kick to Josh's gut. Josh hunched over from the solid kick, he recovered quickly and swung his own kick which smashed into Vulpus knee, and Josh saw an opening and took it. He punched the blonde haired man in the face, who bent over grabbing his face. Josh then used his hands to force Vulpus face to make contact with his knee that was rocketing upwards. A solid smash was heard as the two connected and a loud yelp from Vulpus. Josh how ever was not finished, he grabbed the man and through him at the burning wall. Vulpus fell through it and landed on a broken piece of wood on the other side, the sound of screaming was heard over the fire's cracklings. Vulpus looked down at the piece of wood that protruded from his chest; blood oozed from it and fell over the ground. Josh stepped through the hole in the wall that was made by Vulpus, the fire around the edges made Josh look like the devil himself coming for Vulpus. Vulpus coughed up blood and felt heat on his face from the small fire that was burning near him. The whole wrecked town was on fire from the few incendiary grenades that had been used in the fight. Josh walked over to Vulpus and kicked the wooden stack that he was stuck on so it snapped and was pushed even farther through the man's chest. Vulpus screamed out from the pain as the wood splintered and forced itself through his body. Josh grabbed him and threw him face first into the fire, Vulpus started to scream as his face began to burn. Josh drew his revolver and aimed it for the back of Vulpus head. The sound of something whirring drew his attention as he looked up to see a vertibird landing near him, the door opened and out of the hatch came four people wearing solid black power armor that Josh didn't recognize. One of the four raised a rifle and fired, the round impacted Josh's chest.

"And then you got shot in the chest" Jessie said as he looked up at the former ranger "but they didn't know that your heart is on the other side of your chest"

Josh stood up from his bed and walked out of the shelter to the water through and plunged his head under the surface. He stood back up the cold water waking him, he looked toward the rest stops store and saw jack walking his way holding a pack.

"What you got Jack?" Josh asked as the SS agent walked over to him.

"More food and water can never have enough of it" Jack said as he opened the sack, a bunch of wrapped slabs of meat and a good amount of water jugs were in the sack. Josh grunted and they walked over to the shelter, Jessie was busy putting his combat armor back on. Josh walked over to Nikoli's bed and kicked him lightly in the ribs; Nikoli woke with a start as the foot connected.

"Get up, damn russkie" Josh said as the grizzly Russian sat up and shock his head.

"Still a better wake up then boot camp" Nikoli grumbled.

"Not for me mon I had it good in the cage better than having to get up to your ugly mug every morning" Jessie said as he looked through his pack that he had got last night.

"Ugly?" Nikoli stood up and gestured to himself "this my friends is the pinnacle of Russian grace and beauty"

"Yeah, all the grace and beauty of a bighorner" Jack snapped causing the trio to look at him. The four stood in silence before they burst into laughter at the comment. Jessie leaned on Nikoli for support; Josh was holding his gut and Jack chuckled to himself. Jessie slipped of Nikoli's shoulder and ended up face planting into a bucket of water that slopped all over him. Jessie did not flip out as everyone though he would but stood up and faced Josh, the Bucket on his head.

"Comrade Grimm, comrade Owens reporting" Jessie said in a mocking Russian accent "what is my mission?"

"You are to spread communism through out the world, Comrade Owens. Go do not fail the motherland!" Josh order in his mocking accent.

"Yes, Comrade Grimm. I will gladly spread communism and bend over and take it so the town drunk can get drunk!"

The entire group was now roaring with laughter, Nikoli then sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. The others chuckled but then looked at Nikoli as if he was a little strange.

"Nikoli, what you are doing mon?" Jessie asked still chuckling as he took the bucket of his head.

"I am communicating with the voodoo sprits, they tell me that Jessie was not lying when he said he bends over and takes it" Nikoli said in a fake Jamaican accent. The group roared with laughter once again.

"All right, enough guys grab your gear and let's get a move on, we got a walk ahead of us" Josh said as he put his gear back on. The others nodded and in a few minutes everyone was ready to go. They headed out from the shelter and walked over to the broken road and began to follow it towards Sloan. The walked along in silence for while, not an uncomfortable silence but a friendly one. The four men walked along but something in the distance on the road caught their attention, it looked like a few figures. Josh grabbed his hunting rifle and looked down the scope at the figures.

"Its okay, just some traveling merchants" Josh said "hang on a minute" The group stopped as Josh continued to observe the group ahead of them, one of the figures he could identify as a man in leather armor was holding his arm, one had a limp and another was on one of the Brahmins back's. All the men had one thing in common and that was they were covered in blood.

"Guys their wounded, come on they need help" Josh said slinging his rifle back up and took of at a run for the group ahead of them, the others followed suit. The four reached them in a relatively short time. Josh went up to the one holding his arm; the man looked up at him expecting Josh to try to rob them.

"You guys look like you been through hell" Josh said.

"Yeah, we just went through Sloan to try to sell merchandise, the entire fucking place is over run by deathclaw" the man said "It looks like the entire town was whipped out, we didn't find any bodies but there was a good deal of blood"

"Fuck, that's were going" Jack said as he helped the one man down from the back of the brahmin.

"what's your name?" Josh asked the man.

"Cody, the one with the leg injury is James and the one that your pal just helped down is Ben" Cody said as he clutched his arm.

"Come on lets get you three off the road so we can get these wounds treated better" Josh said to Cody.

"No, how do I know you won't jump me and my brothers as soon as we get off the road?" Cody asked aggressively.

"I give you my word, no one will jump you" Josh said.

"How do I know I can trust you? what if your khans or fiends?" Cody asked as he looked from one man to another.

"Ill tells you who we are with, Jack Garrett. Secret Service" Jack said.

"you guys work for Jaggers?" Cody asked, the group nodded "I guess that will work for me"

Jess walked down the stairs in the lucky thirty-eight's pent house, she was dressed in a pair of old jeans and a white tank top. She walked over to Jason, who was standing at the massive window; he gazed out at the land that he resided over. Jason turned to face the girl as she walked up to him.

"Ah, miss Monroe" Jason said as he took one of her hands and kissed it "a pleasure to meet you, I must say Josh is a lucky man"

"thank you" Jess said blushing a bit.

"I hope you find your new home to be acceptable?" Jason asked as he led her to the circle of couches and chairs. He poured himself a glass of scotch and then leaned back a bit in his seat and looked at the women in front of him.

"Yes, when Josh told me I couldn't believe it" Jess said "its great and these last few days have bee great but a lot to take"

"How so?" Jason asked.

"Well, yesterday I worked as an escort at the Atomic Wrangler, then I got engaged to the most wonderful man I have ever known, get told that will live in the most luxurious home and that we will have enough caps to enjoy our time together" Jess said "but first he must go on one more mission, I hope he will come back" Jess said a little down cast as she thought about what would happen if he was killed.

"I see, but I will tell you Josh will make it back from this mission" Jason said as he took a small sip of his drink.

"How can you be so sure?" Jess asked him "I know he was a ranger and that most of his team were as well but still he this mission is crazy"

"Josh is a very skilled ranger, and a natural leader which will help him and those he leads. However Josh is different then most today, he is not some mercenary with no loyalty, or a raider looking for his next sick fix but a man that stands for something, someone who fights for those he loves. Josh fought in the third war with the legion; he is a rare breed, a man willing to lay his very life down for total strangers. Someone that will always help a person in need and defend those who can't defend themselves" Jason said "he will make it back because he fights for something, not to get something"

"He is killing Vulpus, its revenge" Jess said. Jess never liked violence, and the idea of Josh going across the wastes and killing Vulpus in revenge made her angry and sad, sad that someone with such character would sink to revenge.

"That could very well be part of the reason he is going, but Vulpus also has his daughter" Jason said taking another sip "one that according to my sources, questions her adopted father and is confused as to what to believe. Josh is going to rescue his daughter and he also recognizes that the legion poses the biggest threat to the NCR. He is going to whip them out to save the lives of his country men"

Jess thought about what Jason had said about Josh, _he always did believe in what the NCR stood for and I have seen him defend total, helpless strangers in the bar at the Wrangler from getting beat up for no reason_. Jess looked at Jason he was busy staring at her; he took another drink and then set it down on a trey that a securitron behind him was holding.

"Miss Monroe" Jason began "please enjoy an evening in New Vegas on me. I will have some caps brought to your room so you do not use the money Josh asked me to give you in return for his service"

"Thank, you. thank you very much" Jess said standing "I have never been in one of the strip casinos before"

"Well, you must go in style then. I will have one of my assistants bring you a nice selection of fine outfits" Jess nodded and walked back towards the stairs, a picture on a table caught her eye. She looked at it; pictures were not common in the wasteland from the lack of functioning cameras. A women with bright red hair and green eyes that could light up a room looked back up at her, a younger Jason stood next to her. The women was on Jason's shoulders and both of the people in the picture smiled up at her. Jess looked back at Jason and didn't see the mythical ruler of the strip anymore but a man. Jason was straying into space. Jess walked up the stairs and entered the elevator and head back to the suite that Jason had given her and Josh as a new home. Jason then stood up and walked to the large room next to the lounging area, as he called it and saw the giant computers screen in front of him.

"Yes man, get me Agent Charlie I want an update on what she has found" Jason said.

Josh and the other three men walked silently along the edge of one of the homes sheet metal shacks in Sloan and looked around. they had not seen a deathclaw yet but tracks everywhere indicated their presence in the area. Josh watched carefully, his ears seemed to be picking up every sound as the Four man team moved silently through the ghost town, weapons up and at the ready. They stayed back to back to prevent anything from sneaking up on them. Josh says a sign on one of the buildings that read "lab", he quickly opened the door and stepped inside the building, his team mates followed him into the structure. Inside lab equipment was every were, on the desk was terminal and the light on the wall indicated it was on and working.

"Jack stay hidden and watch the door knock if you see a deathclaw" Josh said. Jack nodded and activated his suits field and headed back out the door making sure to close it quietly behind him. Josh sat down in the chair and looked at screen of the terminal; it read "Terminal Locked".

"Nikoli, you were always the hacker get me into this things and lets see what clues we cant find as to were Scott got to" Josh said standing up from the chair as the large Russian man went behind the desk and sat down in the chair. Josh decided to take a look around the lab; Jessie was busy looking at some sort of large eggs that was in an incubator of some sorts. Josh shrugged and picked up one of the books that lay on the desk and flipped through some of the pages. The book was a written journal; Josh stopped on a random page and began to read.

_Date 10, September, 2230._

_Today I think I found a break through in my research into deathclaw, this one however not a scientific one was. I went up to Jacobs town to see if I could borrow the notes and other reports that doctor Henry used, to make a more stable and safe version of the stealth boy. I talked to Marcus, good friend; he was interested in my work in the study of deathclaw I was performing. He told me about how he and a tribal he traveled with meet a clan of the creature s that were intelligent enough to talk and even more so set up a culture. Their language he said still used many sounds and other animal like forms of communication but a few had learned English but it was hard on some of those in the tribe. This fascinated me; I had to learn more about the idea of intelligent death claws._

Josh looked up and saw Jessie studying the egg that was in the incubator and it suddenly dawned on him.

"That better not be what I think it is" Josh said as he walked over to it. The eggs had some wires going into it and monitors on the glass cage should the life signs of the creature growing inside. Jessie nodded in response as he caught what Josh was saying, Jessie shock his head.

"What is it?" Nikoli asked in his thick Russian accent.

"It looks like Scott was trying to raise a small clutch of deathclaw" Josh said a he examined the eggs "and from what I read in one of the journal entries he wrote, he was trying to make these as smart as we are"

Nikoli began to read through some of the information on the screen of the terminal and looked back up at Josh. "You guessed right and if these stuff makes sense to him and its right I would say it succeeded" Nikoli said.

"Yeah but something tells me that the mother wants here eggs back" Josh said to his group. He grabbed his service rifle of the ground and flicked the safety off.

"Wait, Josh don't kill the young ones" Jessie said "if this project works he has created something that is as good as being human"

"I was not going to kill them, because Scott would get pissed" Josh said. The two in the room looked at his questioning looks on their faces.

"We all know it would take more than a few deathclaw to take Scott out" Josh said "now download whatever is on that terminal and let's go find our lost friend"

Nikoli quickly downloaded the data to his PIP-BOY and the trio walked back outside of the small shack. Jack uncloaked and looked at Josh through the visor of the hood that accompanied his suit. Jack had to put it on when ever he used the cloaking of the suit to make it so he was fully invisible otherwise it would look like there was a floating head.

"so what did you guys find?" Jack asked.

"Not much, just that Scott was a nut and try…" Nikoli began but stopped mid sentence. The color drained from his face and his eyes grew wide. At the other end of the small cramped town was five, large deathclaw and all five had a "WTF?" look on their faces but before they attacked two of the creature's heads exploded in a bloody mess. The deaths were accompanied by a loud thunderous gunshot. The group of men looked up at the ridge for the source of the shot. Standing on the ridge was two men dressed in NCR ranger combat armor, the trench coats bellowed out behind them in the winds that Sloan was famous for; both of the men had anti-material rifles in their hands.

"Run!" yelled one of the men.

**Shorter than usual but just wanted to leave that little cliffhanger.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the wait, wrestling started and I have been tired as hell and busy every day of the week. **

Josh, Jack, Jessie, and Nikoli went sprinting into the nearest ally, the troop of death claws followed them roaring and growling. The beast's massive jaws drip with drool as their primitive brains thought about the meal that had stumbled into their mists. Josh and his comrades turned around as the large lizards smashed into the edges of the shacks. The beast leading the charge stepped back; there was a large cut on its left shoulder. The air was ripped apart by another thunderous shot as on of Josh's group's three pursers hit the ground with a large hole in its torso.

"That's cue lets go" Jack said as he bolted for the other side but the lead deathclaw was obviously smarter then the others and jumped on to the roof of the buildings on the sides of the ally. Jack looked up in time to see the deathclaw massive hand come swinging down at him, Jacks combat hardened reflexes saved him from death as he rolled under the swipe but the creatures longest claw managed to slash him as he rolled under it and split his back open. Josh and the other two aimed their weapons and fired at the large beast, the rounds tore into the beast's exposed head and it fell down into the ally. Jack however was on the other side of the fallen deathclaws body. The roar of the two snipers anti-material rifle tore asunder once again and the yelp of a dying deathclaw hit Josh's ear drums. The other end of the ally was blogged by a living deathclaw.

"Fuck!" Jessie yelled out as he turned one eight and dived back from the lung of a deathclaws arm into the ally.

"Well, we could mix it and shoot are way out of this one" Nikoli said in his Russian accent.

"Then it's another dead one blocking the way out!" Josh yelled over the noise of deathclaws roaring and another shot form the two snipers rifles. Nikoli looked at the sheet metal wall and then drew his shotgun and pressed the barrel onto the wall.

"What are you doing you crazy Russian?" Jessie asked. Nikoli smiled and then pulled the trigger. Nikoli didn't load his shotgun with regular shells but slugs. Nikoli quickly racked another round and fired. The Russian repeated the process till eight holes made a rectangle, the Russian then kicked the wall and a rectangle shaped holes erupted in the wall.

"Let's go!" Nikoli barked and dove through the hole and ran into the building. Josh and Jessie followed him and then the Jessie kicked the door and it flew off its hinges. The three stormed out and saw a young death claw standing over Jack who was groaning in pain. Josh sprinted foreword and smashed his shoulder into the young creature. The two rolled down the small hill, the deathclaw pup roared as the two tumbled. Josh's rifle managed to stay attached to him by its sling. Josh and the beast stop their roll down the hill when the young deathclaw and thankfully not he smashed into a large cactus. The creature roared in pain as the small needles punctured its skin but Josh silenced it as he drew his knife from its sheath and then plunged the blade deep into the deathclaws chest, it roared in pain and blood spurted from its chest and covered Josh as he stabbed the creature three more times, grabbed his rifle and sprinted back up the small hill and saw Jessie and Nikoli dragging Jack back into the building that they had stormed through. Josh went storming through the door. Jack groaned in pain as the two dropped him back to the ground.

"Joshua, Jack anit doing so good Mon" Jessie. Josh walked over and crouched down next to his wounded friend. The large gash on his back ran from his left shoulder to his bottom right rib.

"Nikoli, get something over the door! I don't want deathclaws shoving their arms through it to try and catch us like mice in a cage!" Josh yelled at the Russian who quickly nodded and grabbed a table from nearby and shoved it over the doorway. He then began to pile stuff up against it to keep the deathclaws back. Josh then looked down at his wounded friend. The jacket he wore was slashed and the armor underneath was sliced on the metal like fabric between the plates. In the plate that the cut went through was a gash but it blocked most of the injury but on the other side were two lacerations. _It seems that the plate broke the deathclaws claw_ Josh thought as he pulled a med kit from his bag and cleaned the wound off and then poured some whiskey over the wound. Jack yelped in pain from the stinging of the alcohol.

"Jessie take this gauze and put pressure on the wound" Josh said but a loud bang made him jump and he saw Nikoli pressed up against the table it moved as one of the beasts on the outside slammed into it. Josh then quickly grabbed the sowing kit form the kit and a pair of tweezers. Josh clicked the tweezers and dipped them in the alcohol and began to pull bits of the broken claw from the cut and whipped away blood as he went. Jessie made sure to keep pressure on the wound where Josh wasn't working. Josh grabbed a block of wood that had a rag on and handed it to Jessie.

"Bit down on this buddy and it will be over soon" Jessie as he held the wood near Jacks mouth who bit down and then nodded. Josh then took a deep breath and began to stitch the cut back up. It took two minutes and by the end all three of the cuts where back together in some sort of recognizable form. He pulled a stimpack from his bag and slipped the needle into the skin near the large cut on Jacks back.

"All right lets get you back on your feet" Josh said as he helped the wound SS agent to his feet. Jack then heard the crackle of a radio and saw a HAM radio on one of the tables and he walked over.

"Hello?" the voice said over the radio, _I recognize that voice_ Josh thought.

"Scott York, its Me. Josh, Jessie, and Nikoli are here as well" Josh said through the mouth piece.

"Josh what are you doing here? Irrelevant must get you to safety. Listen closely. Go back to the ally. Climb on the roof and then run to the edge and jump off. If you go into quarry run to the tower in the middle. Go up the conveyor belt and at the top is the safe house." Scott said in his standard choppy speech. He could write quite loquaciously and with extensive vocabulary but he talked in a very choppy way.

"So we run off a roof and jump into a nest of deathclaws?" Josh said back.

"Preciously" Scott replied sharply.

"Cant do Mon, we have an injured one" Jessie said as he approached the mic "he will be good in a few but I know we don't got days till those tables and Nikoli's shoulder give"

"True, but Nikoli's a brute. Maybe try diplomacy?" Scott said. Nikoli just grunted as another death claw took a punch at the door.

"Joking. Well the area is over run and the only ones experienced enough to get past the beasts are the Pride brothers who already helped you out. If you can take them and get help then maybe we might all make it out of this alive." Scott said to them his voice energetic and shaky as was common for him.

"We cant leave Jack here, he cant make it on his lone" Jessie said.

"True but if you go to new place then the deathclaws cant get you" Scott said.

"Then what do you suggest, we make a door?" Josh then smiled "hang on Scott we may have away out of this yet" Josh then walked over to Nikoli who was pressed against the barricade to help hold it. Josh leaned up against it as well.

"Go into the alley and give us a door into the building across the way and we can get out of here no problem"

"Ok, but what about Jack?" Nikoli asked. Jack got up form the chair he had sat down in and stood on his feet and collected his rifle from the ground. He tapped something on his PIP-BOY and grimaced.

"Ill be good for now, the suit injected some medex and some anit-biotics. As long as we don't go far im fine" he grunted out but his eyes slowly dilated form the pain killer in his system.

"Ok"

"Jessie, tell Scott we will be back ASAP" Josh said. Jessie nodded and turned back to the mouth piece of the mic.

"Scott, mon, we be back as soon as we can get back" Jessie said.

"Good. Hurry. We cant hold out forever. Food and water has away of dissapereaing when feeding seventy or so people is essential" Scott said. The sound of a quick series of gunshots rang into the air. Then a loud crash as Nikoli finished the "door". The three ran for the opening and into the other building. The four then stacked up on the door, Josh in front, he opened the door slowly and walked from the opening slowly. The others followed and they slunk along staying low to the ground. They four walked in silence for at least half a mile, the beasts whom they had escpae form where still trying to brake into the building that they had inhabited only a few moments ago.

"Where are we going Josh?" Jack asked as he breathed heavily as the drugs wore off and the pain was returning slowly.

"The hidden valley bunker, its not that far and Jason already said that he told them we were coming" Josh said.

"Lets hope the are some what friendlier then the last place mon" Jessie said.

Jason faced the screen in his penthouse he finally managed to get a hold of agent Charlie. The screen showed a young girl around twenty six, she had short neck length blonde hair. Her light blue eyes shown brightly back at him, her tanned skin was visible only on her face as the rest of her was covered in the standard issue SS stealth suit and her tactical gear.

"What you need Boss?" Charlie said "I am busy"

"Well. I am sorry to interrupt my darling but I want to know what you have managed to find"

"Not much, the terminals that I found said something about a relay post. However im taking care of those scum balls you asked me to"

"Finish that then report back to the thirty eight, I want to see everything you found" Jason said.

"The only thing that interested me was the relay station but I don't know why a mercenary contractor needs to use a bank agency. That was the only the besides a relay post that stood out" Charlie said shifting her weight and placed one hand on her hip.

"Did ever say bank agency?" Jason asked.

"No, I assumed that is what they meant. It just said The Agency"

"Then I assume they weren't talking about a bank agency, or any other agency" Jason said "Charlie I think you may have discovered a name for what we have been looking into for these past years"

"so, we finally have a label for the bastered's we have been hunting for the last thirty years. Good, we can actually start top piece together this puzzle then" Charlie asked her leader.

"Not as much as I would like but that relay station could be of some use to helping to discover more. I have a suspicion that The Agency is still around" Jason said as he swirled his scotch in his glass.

"Sir, do you ever sleep?" Charlie asked "or stop drinking?" Jason laughed a little under his breath.

"I sleep when it suits me and as for drinking" Jason drained his glass" ahh, no"

"That shits going to kill Jason" Charlie said shaking her head.

"Well, the legion couldn't kill me, Mr. House couldn't kill me, and a Bullet to the head couldn't kill me" Jason grabbed a bottle and poured himself another glass of scotch "I doubt that alcohol will succeed where some many others have failed"

Josh looked at the metal door of the bunker entrance, on the cement surrounding the entrance was graffiti that protested the war. He scoffed ,_ thanks a lot proactive hips. I am so called that you actually tried something besides getting high_. Josh hit the release button on the door and it clanked open, the stairs lead down into a black area and the slight breeze that came up from the bunker smelled like death.

"I don't think this is the bunker mon" Jessie said as he looked down the stairs.

"Yeah, well Jack needs to rest besides we are being followed" Nikoli said as he helped Jack into the entrance of the bunker. The door closed behind them, the loud noise rattled them. The three who weren't injured shrugged, Jack moaned in pain since his pain killers had wore off. At the bottom of the stairs was a room that was completely void of anything, save a bit of rubble. At the end of the room was another door, on one side was a broken intercom.

"How do you know we are being followed?" Jessie asked Nikoli "simple, I don't hear any birds, or other creatures scurrying about the entire time we were walking"

"It could just be that they aren't out and about mon" Jessie said as he glanced around the barren room.

"True, however when we went through the canyon I saw some people on the ridge line above us"

"Caravans or travelers?" Josh said.

"Not likely, caravans would have approached us and either offered help or trade and travelers don't dart between rocks" Nikoli said in his Russian accent "my guess is raiders that are tailing us, more than likely fiends since we crossed through their territory"

Jessie shrugged and went to the door on the far side of the room.

"I don't think that your shotgun trick is going to work this time mon" Jessie said looking at the door. The Jamaican hit the open switch and it opened to a collapsed tunnel, a bit of rubble fell out of the opening.

"Well, we have a few hours till the sun goes down" Josh said as he sat on the ground "You to go get firewood and ill patch Jack up some more"

"The town needs are help mon, we should find that bunker now" Jessie said some what irritably.

"True but we wont be any help if Jack here has an infection and we get jumped by what ever is following us" Josh said as he forced Jack to sit down "plus if we keep moving it makes us easy to ambush, now they have to come to us"

"Yeah, but we can handle a bunch of raiders. We have faced worse mon" Jessie said.

"Look, Jessie your good intentions are noble but lets be realistic here. First Jack is wounded bad and needs treatment, Second the town is in a safe house with at least a few days worth of supplies and Third this room will allow us to force the enemy to us down a narrow tunnel"

"Fine but we go back tomorrow" Jessie said. Nikoli shrugged and followed the black skinned man back up the stairs to fetch fire wood. Jack looked up at Josh, his eyes glazed in pain.

"I think that bantered hit something important" Jack said coughing.

"I don't think so, that armor saved your spin from being severed though. Besides if it did you would probley be dead at this point" Josh said as he pulled the first aid kit from his pack and set it down.

"Well there is a happy thought" Jack scoffed. The SS agent coughed violently and fell on his side "its been three days since I joined and already one of us gets fucked up"

Josh chuckled a bit "yeah and it's a few weeks to New Rome one way"

"Fuck my life" Jack said coughing again. Josh took some ointment from the first aid kit and some fresh gauze and bandages.

"We need to dress that wound up buddy" Josh said to his friend. Jack groaned as he undid the clasps around the waist belt and pulled the top of the suit off.

"When did you learn first aid?" Jack asked.

"Ranger need to be self sufficient, all of us know first aid I was just the best at it" Josh said. Jack coughed some more and lay on his stomach, the exposed wound was a grizzly sight. Caked blood covered his back and the cut looked somewhat infected. Josh grabbed a bottle of vodka from the med kit and a towel and poured the drink on to jacks back. The alcohol made the cut foam up and the owner of the cut grimace in pain. Josh wiped away the dried blood and applied the ointment to the cut. Josh wrapped the bandages the best he could to cover the laceration as best he could.

"That should help to we can get you better treatment" Josh said going over to the bags and grabbing the sleeping rolls and laying them out on the ground. The noise of the door opening drew the attention of both of the men. Jack grabbed his pistol form his hip holster and Josh pulled the revolver and trained it on the tunnel. Nikoli and Jessie stepped into view, arms full of dried cacti, brush and some dead wood.

"Whoa, mon just us" Jessie said with his accent. The two dropped the wood in the center of the room and Nikoli began to start a fire. Jack slid the pistol back into its holster and Josh placed the revolver back in its home. Jack grabbed the top of his armor suit and looked it over, the opening in the back made him frown.

"Great" Jack said as he tossed the armor down on the metal floor.

"What? Its just a tear" Jessie said as he looked up from his rifle that he was busy cleaning.

"Yeah, but since it tore that area of me is exposed and the camouflage system wont cover that spot" Jack said as he grabbed his rifle and looked it over.

"Don't you have patches for it or something?" Josh asked sitting down on his bed roll a bottle of water in hand.

"Yeah but only for bullet holes not fucking slash the size of the fucking grand canyon" Jack said as he grabbed his leather trench coat "at least this I can just sow the flap back in place"

"why not the suit?" Nikoli said as he tried to get a coal to light the tinder under the dried wood.

"Because its skin tight" Jack said pulling a needle and thread from a pocket on the leg of his suit. The group sat in silence for awhile but crackle of a fire reached their ears and saw Nikoli simile triumphantly as the fire caught the wood. He sat back from the fire and admired his handy work.

"Well its around seven, suns going down soon mon" Jessie said "ill make some of my gumbo for dinner" Nikoli and Josh looked at each other concerned.

"What? its good" Jessie said as he went and grabbed a few tin cans from one of the pots.

"Yeah, but we don't have any spices for you to make it with" Josh said.

"damn, pork and beans it is then" Nikoli said grabbing a can from his bag. Jessie sat down with a defeated look.

"Jessie, its only food" Jack said taking a can from his own bag.

"Yeah, well all I got to eat in the thorn mon was crappy food and bland flavorless shit" Jessie said.

"Well, here" Jack said as he took a small bottle form his bag "its Tabasco fresh to"

Jessie's eyes light up at the sight of the pepper sauce.

"Thanks mon, you made old' Jessie a happy man" Jessie said smiling.

"So how do we cook this stuff if we don't got a way to put it over the fire?" Jack asked.

"Easy, We just make one" Nikoli said as he grabbed one of the longer sticks and some wire from his pack "give your cans" The three obliged and rolled, tossed and passed their cans to him. The Russian Grabbed them and wrapped the wire around them and around the stick he had picked up, he then took a few more sticks made to tripods and tossed one to Jessie who set it up on the other side of the fire and the placed the stick between the two and let the cans dangle slightly in the fire.

"In about ten minutes or so foods ready" Nikoli said as he looked at his PIP-BOY that Jason had given to him and noted the time.

"For watch we should sit by the tunnel" Josh said "whoever was following us will probley attack tonight after we drift of to sleep"

"How do you know?" Jessie asked.

"Because if you remember, that's what we would do" Josh said.

Jess sat down on the edge of the large bed in the main room of the suite that had become her home that she would share when her fiancé returned from the mission that his new employer had sent him on. She sighed as she lay down on the large bed, she glanced at the bag of caps that she had won the previous night from the Tops casino. It was good sum but she was bored the whole day, _I need a Job_. She got up and pulled on the silk robe that she found in one of the wardrobes and then went to the door of the room. She walked into the entrance of the suite, a door to the bathroom was right across and one to the kitchen and dinning room was only a few feet down the hall on the same side as the bedroom door. The living room door was across from the kitchen and dinning room. The elevator was at the end of the hall to the left of the bedroom. She really had not looked around the suite, mostly the kitchen and the bedroom. She went into the living room door and opened it. The room had a pool table with the entire set of balls, and a few cues that looked new. There was a radio on a round table with two chairs at it, and two couches were arranged around coffee table and on the table were a set of lucky 38 poker chips, and a deck of cards. Jess picked up on of the chips and rolled it around in her hands, _I got an idea_ she thought to herself,

Josh sat at the entrance of the room his hat covered his face, it gave him the look of someone sleeping but he was wide awake. The fire illuminated the three sleeping men in their sleeping bags but the light was very small and the shadows around the edge were dense enough to hide Josh. Josh had stuffed his own sleeping bag with packs and other items to make it look occupied. Josh had his hand resting on the hilt of his revolver, and his other held his knife. The sound of the door at the top of the tunnel drew Josh's attention but he remained still. The noise of foot steps echoed slightly down the hall, the relative jumbled sound allowed the former ranger to determine how many men were in the hall, _six, this is might be a problem._ The first one appeared at the edge of the entrance looked to his left and right then whispered to his fellows.

"I cant see a fuckin thin" he said with a somewhat gruff accent.

"Get a move on, wow not even a watch" said one of his fellows. Josh waited till the last man passed him before he stood quietly and slunk silently up behind the last man, the others went to the sleeping bags and checked them. One of the men went to Josh's sleeping bag since he couldn't see his face since he wasn't there, and pulled back the cover and saw packs.

"What the Fuck?" the man said but the sudden sound of a cry of pain woke the sleeping men and caused the others to face the man who had cried out. Josh stood behind him with one arm over the man's shoulder and across his body with his combat knife plunged into his chest. Josh's other hand was over the mans shoulder with his revolver in hand. The other men went for their weapons but five quick shots from Josh's revolver and four of the five men dropped dead and the fifth hit the ground grabbing his knee and screaming in pain. Jessie quickly drew his pistol and pointed it at the mans head and kicked the mans rifle away form him. The man rolled over and looked up and down the barrel of Jessie's pistol.

"Don't move mon if you want your skull to stay in one piece" Jessie said.

"Nikoli ties this guy up, jack sit down before you open that cut again" Josh ordered. Nikoli quickly took some roped from his bag and tied the mans hands behind his back and rolled him back over. The man groaned his knee was leaking blood and was a mess as bone fragments and other necessary parts of the joint stuck out from the wound. Josh crouched next to the man, his gaze shifted to the wound.

"What the fuck? Why didn't you just kill me!" the man said.\

"Because you have information I want" Josh said "now tell me what I want, who sent you?"

"The fairy fucking god mother" the man groaned out. Josh sighed and reached down to the mans Wounded Knee and grabbed onto one of the bone shards and pulled. The man screamed out in pain.

"Ok, it was Annie" the man said. Josh stood up and looked around at his friends. Josh opened the revolver and the chamber swung out and he dumped the empty shells out of it.

"Please, don't I can change I swear" the man started to beg. Josh loaded the last shell into the revolver.

"Help me" the man tried begging for one last time. Josh leveled the barrel of the smith and Wesson 500 with the mans eyes.

"I couldn't do anything for you son" Josh said and squeezed the trigger and the last thing the man saw was a roaring fire like the gates of hell. The noise of the door opening yet again made all four men whip around and sight down on the tunnel entrance. The footsteps sounded metal and heavy. There was also more than one persons or something's approaching them. The noise of a few clicks and then beams of light erupted from the hall and out walked four people dressed in T-51B power armor.

"Who are you?" said one of the people his voice gave his gender away as a man. Bothe groups of men had their weapons aimed at each other. Jack then lowered his weapon and sighed as he looked at the floor shaking his head.

"Goddamnit, Waters" Jack said to the paladin who had spoken. The paladin then lowered his weapon and then motioned for his comrades to do the same. The man took the heavy helmet off, his bald scalp was covered in a bit of sweat and stubble, his brown eyes looked over the group in front of him.

"You look like you have seen better days Jack" Waters said as he noted the bandages around the mans chest.

"Yeah, I have but I didn't think that you sweat that much from walking, you out of shape?" Jack said in retort.

"I am in shape, the deathclaw that chased for the last half mile need some more cardio" Waters said "who's your pals?"

Waters gestured to Josh, Jessie, and Nikoli with his Laser RCW.

"Joshua Grimm" Josh said "Jason sent us here"

"Really, we just got back from patrol so we don't know about that" Waters said.

"Its fine Waters, Jaggers sent us, told us to talk to Veronica" Jack said "Now, im going to sit down before my back splits open and I faint from blood loss"

Jack then less then gracefully sat right on his eyes grimaced in pain and then fell right on his back.

"What happened to Jack?" Waters asked. The other paladins removed their helmets and set them down.

"Well we went into Sloan to look for one of my old team, Jason gave us a mission to do and we need to build a team" Josh said "basically that deathclaw that chased you is one of around twenty adults that now inhabit Sloan and the quarry, again. So one took a slash at Jack and got him"

"Well, that's not good" said one of the paladins, who had Short light brown hair and was wielding a Gatling laser

"No shit Red" said another one, this one had a dark brown hair cut into an airborne style Mohawk and rough stubble one the sides of his head and his face "names Lake"

"Quiet" Waters said "the guy with the big gun is Red, Lakes got the Mohawk, and the tall one in the back is Zee" Josh looked up at the taller paladin in the back. He was dark skinned and had a goatee and short hair.

"Jessie" Josh said pointing at the Jamaican "and the brute with the shotgun is Nikoli. Now let's get Jack to your clinic"

"I would appreciate that" Jack said through coughs.

"Mister Jaggers, Jess is here to see you sir" said Jane and then wheeled away from Jason. Jess walked over and sat in a chair next to Jason. "Beautiful, the city. Its hard to believe that only fifty year ago I took this place for my own" Jason said "then we made it better, me, the NCR, the Kings, Brotherhood and every day people. We built this place, we made its water run returned its power, sanitation, law and hope" Jason took a sip form his drink "and now it's threatened once again, any way what did you need Miss Jessica?"

"Well, I have an idea" Jess said pulling out a poker chip "what if you reopened the lucky 38?"

"Me?" Jason said as he looked at Jess "Why would I do that, I have enough to worry about besides worrying about paying, and running a casino"

"It would make more money, help to rebuild this place" Jess said.

"Yes, this would help but we would need to find Dealers, Cashiers, Guards, Waitress, Cleaners, and what about the SS agents that I have living in the casino?" Jason asked.

"Well, the SS agents in the Casino could serve as guards. The city may be on its way but there are still plenty of jobless people who could use this opportunity" Jess said.

"If they are jobless they are homeless as well" Jason said "I like the idea but we would need to train them all, plus we need a manager" Jason then smiled "Jess, if you can get the people we need to do this then I will make you the manager of the Lucky 38"

Jess's jaw dropped _me? Manage a casino?_ She thought.

"So?"

"Ill do it" Jess said smiling.

Josh and the montage of people walked into the bunker clinic, Waters placed Jack on the clinic gurney. He had passed out before they left the bunker and Waters had carried him fireman style from the bunker they had just left thankfully this one was the actual bunker.

"Well, what have we got here the doctor asked?"

"Its Jack, He got sliced by a deathclaw" Waters said "See what you can do for him I have to take these guys to see the elder" The group trooped out of the clinic and walked along the silent halls of the bunker, most of the brotherhood was sleeping. The group walked into a large chamber a lady walked from a door, she was older around eighty but some how had remained in fairly good shape. The brotherhoods members that made it to an age when they could no longer serve in the field lived long lives due to the medical technology of the brotherhood. The women's hair was silver but brownish at the base of the hair and her face was somewhat wrinkled. She carried herself with an air of authority and a demeanor that demanded respect.

"Why the fuck did you wake me up? And I better be good Waters" Veronica said crossing her arms.

"These guys said Jason sent them, plus Jack was with them" Waters said.

"Where is Jack?" Veronica asked.

"He is in the Clinic" Josh said "but we need to talk"

"Then talk I am tired and losing patience, I feel bad about Jack, shouldn't play but we don't need to discuss anything Jaggers said tomorrow"

"We can but Sloan is over run by a pack of deathclaws and the town's people need help. They are stuck in the safe house they built inside the old quarry"

"Well this is a different matter entirely" Veronica said in a somewhat concerned tone "We will discuss this in the morning," Veronica said "they are relatively safe and we will find a solution in the morning"

"Elder, I will take my team to clear out the deathclaws" Waters said.

"Were going, we have a few friends we need to meet with there" Nikoli said in his deep Russian accent.

"Ok, that solves that" Veronica said "Re arm, Josh, yes I know who you are, you have free access take what ever ammo you need. Then head out in the morning"

"No, we are going back now" Waters said.

**Please review.**


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